Frequency
by YaoiSongstress07
Summary: Special giftfic to Zephyr! COMPLETE! Chris Redfield endures the hardest battle of his life, battling against the wicked Wesker for his lover's life! Will Snake survive unimaginable horror? Will Chris and his friends be able to stop Wesker's plans?
1. Chapter 1

Hello, friends, and welcome to 'Frequency'. This project was delivered on the wings of 'Europa' and 'Resident Evil 5', the latest installment in Capcom's horror series. As I compose this, I shall think of beloved friends. I wish to provide a certain angel with supreme inspiration, as she needs light to nourish her ever-glowing wings. And so, wielding love for the Old Snake/Chris couple, I will compose this trial of everlasting love.

Disclaimer: Metal Gear Solid and Resident Evil aren't officially attached to me. I would die to participate in the creation of either saga, but my destiny is taking me elsewhere.

**_Warning: Old Snake will participate in the display of human emotions. In addition to an emotional Snake, you'll find boy/boy love. If you're turned off by either of those elements, you'll be much happier elsewhere. Thanks for your consideration!_**

* * *

He cleansed his brow of sweat, but it was immediately replaced. Sweat walked down his body, born from the intolerably humid climate. He was one of the many people inside of an inhospitable box, conducting his life's symphony in the middle of oppressive heat. Despite the horrid conditions, though, he was able to uphold a smile. A smile melted into his watch as he checked the hands of time, ready to deliver a shipment to several customers. Officers were in need of their weaponry, and it was up to him to deliver it. Customized goods were in high demand!

"Well well well, pal of mine. Looks like we've got another day on our hands."

His sidekick, a small chimp named Little Grey, scampered onto his leg. "Five o'clock in the morning, and we've already jumped on a big roller coaster ride," the chimp's master said, removing a small clipboard from his shirt pocket. Several items were checked off, and the clipboard was returned to its haven. Resolution united with apprehension as he peered at the road before him, examining the camp of sleeping officers. He appeared to be calm and composed, but his heart was pounding upon battle drums. The previous night was far from kind, tormenting every mortal in its path. Four particular mortals were torn apart, spirits crushed by the night's raging beasts.

They were in their own corner, far away from the rest of civilization. The simple luxuries of humanity weren't known to them, for they had been cast into their dimension. Ponds and waterfalls stood in the place of sinks. Sleeping bags, bonfires and scattered rags replaced warm beds. The comforting qualities of family were attributed to all officers. Far away from the world they called 'home', the forces of light had united to secure life. Easier times held them apart, but an outburst of poison cemented them together-and would forever hold them together. Some believed that humanity couldn't endure irrepresible chaos, but recent trials caused eternal devotion to take flight.

The pursuers of the future were overwhelmed at times, almost forced into surrender. The previous night had managed to drag many hearts into black despair. Several had taken up the leadership cup, but even they were faltering before a silent storm. The hot, clammy environment, coupled with the meager food supply, didn't provide fire to the force's morale. The mortals might have been able to unite in their darkest time, but they were mortals after all-and mortals were not immune to pain. The heavy, inhumane atmosphere was enough to drag down the most valorous of officers. Their original targets were Liquid Ocelot and Albert Wesker, but the climate had become another enemy.

Their battle started off in the dark. The collective forces of BSAA and Roy Campbell shot out of the gate, working against unidentified beasts. A virus took flight in several areas of the world, pillaging villages and metropolitan cities alike. All officers worked together to liberate the wrecked areas, saving as many lives as possible. Once they arrived in a village of Africa, their tormentors became all too clear. Liquid Ocelot and Albert Wesker were at the head of things, laughing while they led their pursuers around on strings. Two particular legends weren't pleased with the identities of their enemies. One rivalry, during the previous night, struck an all-time high. A volcano exploded between the two combatants, and one combatant was left in the bitter, cold aftermath of the eruption.

Wesker emerged from the night victorious. He spent the preliminaries in laughter, mocking his constantly livid enemy while bathing in ecstatic dreams. He dreamt of a particular fish while taunting the fish's keeper, glowing with confidence. He battled against his immortal foe during the greatest night of their lives, and he emerged from their battle as the winner. He, a god of humankind, defeated the venerable Chris Redfield! He captured Heaven's gem, and to top off his cake, that gem belonged to Chris! Chris had laid claim to the gem's body, but the peon no longer had the honor of touching that body. Of course the gem had a wrinkled, torn-down body, but that was all right. Wesker enjoyed the idea of ravaging another's innocence, and the gem had the innocence of an infant. He definitely had the cutest blue eyes, the most radiant hair...

_"Awww, you poor little thing. You're weeping over my flower, blaming me for your suffering, but he came to me of his own accord. I didn't force him along. I do understand why he chose me, though. I'm simply superior to you. You haven't even driven him yet. I'll make sure I'll put my mare to good use."_

_"You son of a bitch! Give him back! Give him back, NOW!"_

At first, the Redfield didn't want to accept his lover's reasons for surrender. Wesker threw them all in his face, but he didn't want to absorb them. He certainly didn't want to accept Wesker's interpretation. The passage of time pressed the truth harder and harder into his face, making life unbearable. The exercise of breathing was intolerably difficult. He gradually came to accept his mate's reasons for surrender, but he did so with a heavy heart. Snake-

Snake.

Snake surrendered to protect him. He surrendered himself to protect him, Sheva, Hal and everyone else. He gave into the pain and suffering, just to protect the ones he loved. He literally threw himself into Wesker's arms, just to shield everyone else from harm. He surrendered because he believed himself to be unworthy of Chris. In his eyes, their relationship was practically unholy-and so Wesker won. Wesker won in the end. Wesker stole Snake away and-

Maybe it would be easier to use the name 'Epyon'. He sure as Hell wouldn't use the name 'David'. He heard Hal use it once, when a black pile of scarabs decided to lodge themselves beneath Epyon's skin. Epyon's mind almost snapped, and would have if Hal hadn't used his birth name. It all started when Epyon came out of a nightmare, shrieking at the top of his lungs and tearing at his chest. Officers were instantly roused, Chris rushed to his side, Sheva shielded Sunny-the night was a horrendous disaster. Wesker somehow managed to release scarabs into Epyon's skin, and all through a nightmare.

Hal's eyes had opened many hours ago. During their stay in Africa, the otaku's sleeping record had been small. He spent a meager two hours sleeping during the previous night, working heavily on his Mark II's features. Learning of his friend's capture, and seeing Chris's reaction to the loss of his beloved Snake (Hal could still think of his friend's name), he was determined to provide as much help to the team as possible. His adorable little gadget (which had entertained the officers on several occassions with dance routines) didn't have adequate features for the dank, enigmatic climate, so it was time for renovation.

Despite their powerful list of differences, Hal and Chris were able to become strong friends. The otaku thought of the officer as he worked, attaining his strength from the Redfield's well. If Chris hadn't been present, he'd be drowning in his own tears. Chris was a source of strength, valor and love. The officer, already burdened with his past, was a dedicated friend-and a heartbroken lover. The anime junkie just had to be strong for his friend-and for Sunny! Chris taught him how to be strong for his loved ones, and that's exactly what he'd do! He couldn't afford to spend any time at all in tears, no matter how dark the situation was!

"Hey. Morning."

The Mark II acknowledged Chris with a start. Straightening his glasses, Hal gave the speaker a warm smile. His hands returned to work as he spoke, providing the speaker with tender words. "Hello! Good morning," he said merrily, speaking as if they were sitting at a park. "I know this will probably be an idiotic question, but...how are you?"

"I've been better, thanks. And I can safely say the same about you."

If one had to describe Chris Redfield in a single word, the perfect word would be 'behemoth'. All one had to do was glance at him, and see he could use a single punch to knock every tooth out of a grown man. He had the rippling muscles of two grizzly bears, the stamina level of a thousand lions, and the valor of a wolf. Unfortunately, his last two attributes were sagging in their saddles. His soft green eyes were no longer green but red, watery and puffier than cirrus clouds. He looked as if he could knock down a skyscraper, but he was truly no better than a kitten in the game of strength. Hal acknowledged all of that with a soft, sad smile. "What's up?" the Redfield asked, walking closer to him. He soon sat down on a nearby box, peering at the inquisitive Mark II. Apparently, he didn't want to discuss anything about himself. And Hal understood why.

"Oh, just working out a few kinks. I've got to make sure the Mark II's ready for our upcoming assignments. In its current condition, it's just about as useful as a tin can."

"Bet you wouldn't have said that a while back," the Redfield said, giving him a slap on the back. "You're pretty proud of that little guy. Sure it was pretty useful to you before you came here."

Blushing, Hal continued to work out kinks. "Yeah well, things change and life happens," the otaku said gently, smiling. "We've got to make sure we're able to face every hurdle, every obstacle. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade."

"Sorry," Chris said, grimacing. "I can't make shit right now, unless you fancy a cup of moldy lemon water. Really appreciate you working so hard on that, though. You should be proud."

"The Mark II is one of the three things I can be proud of," the otaku said sadly, lowering his head. "The other two are my relationships with you and Sunny. When it comes right down to the nitty gritty, though, my knack for science is my only good point."

Silence hovered between them for what seemed like an age. They said nothing, did nothing, and didn't even look at each other. The Mark II peered at the two of them pleadingly, waiting for one of them to say something. Chris eventually broke the silence, voice strained and weak. "I'm trying so hard," he began, bowing his head. "I'm trying so damn hard. I'm trying so hard to not think about him, but...it's not working. Nothing I do ever works. He's not here anymore, and...I can't ignore it. I can't ignore this gaping void in my life anymore."

Hal, looking very much like a puppy, focused his eyes on the Redfield. With every word Chris spoke, he came closer to tears-and that was easy for the otaku to understand. "He's gone and it's all my fault," the officer went on, peering out into the yellow, dirty ether. "I couldn't do a damn thing. He's with Wesker, and...I did nothing. I promised him I'd protect him, but look at the way things have gone. He's being fucked around by that filthy bastard, and I'm sitting here."

"Let's not forget our last conversations with him," the Emmerich said gently, rubbing his arm. "He thinks I can't be trusted."

"Yeah, and he thinks I'm a dumb-ass. Meanwhile, I'm in pain from loving him so much."

They fell into another round of silence, staring at the tumbleweeds that rode on the dusty winds. Their last minutes with Snake had been far from beautiful, due to an explosion of emotions. Chris's PTSD erupted two nights ago, almost resulting in his suicide. Sheva and Hal comforted the weeping, wailing officer, but all Hell soon broke loose. Snake stumbled upon the troubled trio, and with the arrival of the next morning came the arrival of his anger. Chris asked Snake if he was ready for breakfast, and Snake punched the living daylights out of him. He then turned on Hal, unleashing an intense wave of anger.

_"I thought we understood each other! I thought I could trust you!"_

Several hours later, Albert Wesker stole Snake out of their lives.

The old legend didn't like being kept in the dark, as Hal and Chris found out-the hard way. Chris, wanting to remain strong in his eyes, concealed his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from the old soldier's eyes. Only Sheva and Hal were aware of it. Neither of them knew of Snake's last contact with Sheva, and Snake certainly didn't know of Sheva's involvement with the situation. Hal let something slip during the nighttime explosion, giving his oldest friend just the right amount of ammo.

Everything was just painful. Too painful.

"I think we're both in the doghouse," the Emmerich said, making a frail attempt to lighten the mood. "Or should I say 'the time-out corner'?"

"The doghouse fits just fine," Chris replied, waving his hands. "I feel like I've been smacked in the ass with a wet newspaper, so I'll mope around in my little shack, thank you very much."

Hal pretended to fall into deep thought. "You know..." he began, rubbing at his chin. "Technically, you were dumped. Snake slugged you and ran off with Wesker! You really have been thrown in the doghouse!"

The Redfield was instantly wounded, but the offense was turned into a playful attempt at light merriment. Pretending to be livid, the officer rose from his box. "What in the Hell was that about?! I thought we were friends," he cried out, balling his hands into fists. "And for your information, Wesker scammed Snake into following him! That guy's a down-and-dirty, psychotic bastard!"

"Scammed? Really?" Hal asked innocently, batting his eyes. "Did your pal Wesker really drag Snake off, or did he choose to follow Wesker on his own?"

Growling followed those inquisitions. Beaming, the otaku returned to the Mark II's makeover. "Face it, my friend. You lost. You couldn't satisfy Snake, so he ran off with Wesker. And now you're pissed off. End of story."

"Yeah, well," the wounded dog said, eyes glued to the ground. "You helped me out, so you're no better than I am."

Sunshine melted all over the otaku's face as a slice of butter. "About that...I understand why you asked for my help. I don't choose to burden my loved ones with my troubles. I'd rather carry all of my problems to the grave than thrown them on the back of someone I love. Which leads me to a conclusion. I really shouldn't be your friend, because...I'm comfortable with you. I don't want to saddle Snake with anything, because he's got his own pain to deal with, but you...you cause everyone to feel secure. It's incredibly easy to talk to you about anything. I feel like opening up all of my wounds, just so you can assist me with them."

"Thanks," a blushing Redfield said softly, returning to his box. "I appreciate that. You can't imagine how much bull-shit I've heard from my world-wide fan club. Unfortunately, I wasn't open enough. Not for him, I wasn't. I pissed him off because I hid myself, and now he probably hates me."

The characteristics of a heart-broken child fell onto Hal's face. Placing a hand on Chris's shoulder, he spoke in a soothing tone. "You hid yourself because you didn't want him to worry," he said, dangerously close to tears. "You love him. You feel that your problems should be your own. You've got other outlets for your troubles, but when it comes to the one you love, you'd rather drown in every last bit of pain. It's the same for me. I'd rather hang myself than dump everything on you, Sunny, Sheva or Snake. I've got my gizmos and forums, but when it comes to the ones I love, I'd rather not be the clingy, needy and whiny child."

For a moment, Chris thought on those words. He then supplied the otaku with a gentle, loving smile. "You know, it's as if we've known each other. For years on end."

"Oh, and before we go any further," Hal said, raising a hand to stall Chris's additional words. "He doesn't hate you. He's angry at you, but he doesn't hate you. He's just a little wounded puppy, offended over an unfair punishment. He'll get over it, though, so there's nothing for you to worry about. Not in the long run. Just remember this for the future. The jig is up!"

"What about your situation?" the Redfield asked, turning to the other male. "Does he hate you, or is he just sulking right now?"

"Well...he's only sulking. Once he finds out you dragged me into your little scheme, he'll stop sulking and forget about everything. After all, I was your accomplice."

"Yeah," Chris said triumphantly, pointing at his chest. "Key word: accomplice! Choose your words more carefully, anime junkie!"

They shared laughter for a fleeting moment, then fell into silence. Hal's movements with the Mark II became slow and half-hearted, as though he had become occupied with another matter. He then turned to Chris, who was wringing his hands together-as he normally did in times in indecision or fear. "I have to ask you something," the otaku said kindly, eyes twinkling. "Is this the first time you've had other people to work with?"

The officer stiffened. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, I meant no harm," the otaku said, face glowing with affectionate admiration. "I just want to know if you've worked alongside others in the past. I mean, you're the type to take everything on your own shoulders."

"Yeah, well, I wish I had left Snake out of the whole Wesker situation," Chris snapped quickly, eyes flashing. Whenever he became angry, the speed of his speech elevated. "That prick is my problem. I shouldn't have exposed him to that sick fuck for a second. As for your question, I had a partner once. Name was Jill Valentine."

"Was?"

The Redfield looked very much like a disgruntled, pissed off cat. "I've got some kind of sick curse hanging over my head," the officer spat. "She's gone, I lost my sister, and now the man I love is holed up with a sex addict. Everyone I touch ends up stained, or dead. If Snake ends up following Jill I'll behead myself. Slowly."

His words might have been extreme, but his tone left behind NO DOUBT. And it would have been idiotic to doubt them. "I'm lucky to have you here," the officer growled, tightening his fists. "I'm nothing but a bad luck charm, and I hate myself for that."

"Once again, we've got something else to connect us," Hal said, shaking his head. "I feel the same way about myself. A few of my loved ones died because I touched them. I was in their lives, and because of my presence, they suffered the ultimate sacrifice. In other words, I killed them. I lost my sister too, but it didn't end there. Others have died, all on my account. Which explains why I'm so antsy about Sheva. I'm already apprehensive about Snake's situation."

"I have a feeling you aren't talking about him shacking up with Wesker."

"I'm not," the Emmerich said, lifting his glasses for the tenth millionth time. "I'm referring to his situation with the FoxDie virus. Wesker's not the only one playing with viruses, as you're about to find out. Snake became angry with you for hiding something, but there's something he didn't inform you of-and it was that virus."

Whenever Chris became intent on learning information, he leaned in closer to the source. "What are you talking about?!" the Redfield asked urgently, eyes gleaming with the intent to learn more. "What virus? What am I missing?"

"To make a long story short," Hal began, launching into 'pensive librarian' mode. "He was infected with the virus quite some time ago. I've lost track of the actual time. Created in a laboratory, the virus has the power to not only dampen a body's functions, but it also has the power to speed up time."

"What do you mean? I didn't fall in love with a Snake from the future or something, did I?"

An incredibly warm smile fell on Hal's face, equaling the radiance of his eyes. "Technically, you did. My friend isn't supposed to be in the body of a seventy year old man. He's actually supposed to be only forty years old. Unfortunately, the virus inside of his body thrust his aging process into overdrive."

"Son of a bitch--! Who gave it to him?! Liquid?"

"Actually, no," a sheepish Hal said, rubbing his neck. "The answer to your question falls into my department of mishaps. Someone else gave it to him."

Chris was probably the ideal student for every last one of his professors. "Is there a cure?" he asked instantly, still staring at Hal with great intensity. Momentarily taken aback, Hal fumbled with the Mark II for a second-then replied with a mournful smile. "Haven't found one yet," he replied, wishing he could have offered a more positive response. "I've been trying to so hard to locate one, but...as of late, I've been unlucky. And by the time I find one, it may be too late."

Skipping all of the 'why's and 'how's, Chris got right to the chase. "I'll be damned before I let some virus kill him," the Redfield snarled, mocking the virus's power. "I'll be fucking damned before anything-or anyone-kills him! Mark my words, I'll get him out of that hellhole AND give him a cure!"

"Dingo," Hal said softly, using the nickname Chris received from Sunny. "You were able to cure his stomach-ache."

"Don't under-estimate me, Hal. Put your faith in me."

"I already have," the otaku said, eyes filling with tears. "And I'll never take it away."

Additional cement into their friendship was silenced by the appearance of a tiny robot. Much tinier than Hal's Mark II, it slowly crept up to the duo-and hit Chris on the leg. Officer and otaku exchanged a look of astonishment, then Chris released a sigh. "Sunny," Hal said gently, brown eyes focused on the small robot. He set his own Mark II aside. "how long you have been listening?"

"I'm afraid I heard everything, Father," a twenty seven year old goddess said sweetly. "I do apologize for the intrusion, but I just had to catch everything you two were saying."

Chris leapt off his box. "Sheva?!"

"That's right, partner," the tiny robot said, dancing triumphantly. Chris turned to Hal with a playful grimace, pretending to be disappointed in something.

"For shame. You had the nerve to talk about me, but you can't even be a good father! You exposed your daughter to a bad influence!"

"Oh shut up," the Chibi Mark II said, heart nuzzling against Chris's. "For the record, Sunny is right here with me."

"Doesn't change anything. You ruined a client's daughter! You should be ashamed of yourself, Sheva! I thought you adored children!"

While a blushing Hal fell into a soft stream of laughter, Sheva and Chris (otherwise known as Nataku and Dingo) shared another round of banter. "I do, for your information, and I'm awfully fond of Sunny," the Chibi Mark declared proudly, putting its hands on its hips. "She's fond of me, so that end's all polished. Things are quite easy for Hal, wouldn't you agree?"

Hal's laughter stopped. "Wh-wh-what?! What are you-what you are talking about?!"

"Oh, and as you both know, my relationship with Snake isn't exactly rocky. I worship the ground he walks on. So everything's all right there, too. Now I just have to wait for Hal to get off his rear end and court me."

"By 'court' do you mean 'f'-"

"Now wait a minute," Hal cried out, rising out of his makeshift seat. "Sheva, what are you s-s-saying? Are you saying-"

A sigh came from the Chibi Mark II. "Oh, come on, 'Otacon'. I think you're the most adorable thing in the world! I've had my eyes on you ever since we first met! What do you think I am, slow? And don't give me that crap about bad luck charms. I'm not exactly the luckiest person in the world myself, as you all found out last night. We can be bad luck charms together!"

"B-b-but-"

"Don't worry, Nataku," a small maiden said merrily, voice coming through the chibi robot. "Daddy's just shy. But a few nights ago he told me something. He thinks you're 'a sexy, drop-dead gorgeous Aphrodite'. He also said he feels like Keiichi, and you're Belldandy."

Before Sheva could say the word 'kinky', a blushing otaku desparately rose to his own defense. "Now that's not fair, honey," he cried out, exploding with embarrassment. Meanwhile, Chris found that he couldn't stop laughing. "What's not fair?" Sunny mewled innocently, certainly rubbing at her chin. "You said all of that stuff! It's all true!"

"So your daddy's been having fantasies of me, then?" the svelte Alomar said cheekily, eyes glowing. "Ooo. Aren't I excited?"

"Hey, Hal," the Redfield snickered, slapping the Emmerich on the back. "Sheva's not high off of your anime shows, so the whole 'Keiichi and Belldandy' thing's giving off freaky signals."

"I can explain it to her," a tiny maiden offered cheerily, raising one of the Chibi Mark's hands. "See, Nataku, Keiichi and Belldandy are in this show called-"

"All right now, that's quite enough," a flustered otaku said, lifting Chibi off the ground. "Sunny, did you finish making breakfast with Miss Alomar?"

"Sure did," the little flower said, while Sheva muttered: I thought my name was Belldandy. "Come and get some, or it'll be all gone! People are really hungry around here!"

"Don't blame 'em," the Redfield said, voice holding a combination of warm happiness and grief. "Great job, munchkin. Sheva probably poisoned her customers, but I'm sure your customers will enjoy a healthy, hearty meal."

"Th' name's Belldandy, thank you," the Alomar snapped playfully, flicking Chibi's arms at her partner. "And stop harassing me, or I'll eat your portion!"

"Fine, fine. I may as well eat your gruel, considering it'll be the last thing I'll eat for a while."

Not another word was said. The Mark II jumped from its station and began to follow Chibi Mark II. Both robots slowly made their way towards the meal area, followed by a silent otaku and BSAA officer. The four of them knew they had shared their last round of banter and laughs. The four of them knew joke time and play time had come to a bittersweet end.

All four of them knew of the danger that stood before them, but all were ready to face it.

* * *

This was composed to 'Preliator' by Globus, 'Nara' by ES Posthumus, 'The Time Has Come/Shall Never Surrender' by Jason 'Shyboy' Arnold (GREAT HAL/CHRIS ANTHEM XD), and 'Access the Animus' by Jesper Kyd. I can actually see Hal and Chris walking in slow motion at this point, with 'Beyond the Bounds' (Zone of Enders II) playing in the back ground. Wouldn't that be perfect? XD

Keiichi and Belldandy are characters of the 'Oh My Goddess!' anime series. They're actually in the leading roles! Keiichi is your every-day school guy, and Belldandy's the beautiful, gorgeous goddess that ends up in his lap. XD

What did you think of Chibi Mark II? I thought it would be adorable for Hal and Sunny to share the Mark II connection. Chibi belongs to Sunny, and Sunny taught Sheva (whom she affectionately calls Nataku) how to use it. As for Sheva's nickname, I have Sunny refer to her loved ones (outside of Hal, who she calls 'Daddy') as anime/video game characters. Nataku is the name of a mobile suit from the Gundam Wing series, and is piloted by one of the series's strongest characters. Sheva's nickname compliments Snake's nickname (Epyon), which is also the name of a mobile suit. Chris's nickname, Dingo, came from Dingo Egret of Z.O.E II. By the way, Hal has a wallpaper of Dingo Egret on his laptop inside of MGS4. XD

The Chris/Hal dialogue was made for The Big Boss. XD He expressed her interest in their friendship inside of 'Europa', so I decided to actually give them dialogue for 'Frequency'. I adore their friendship, and actually think they'd be quite adorable if they actually met up in a game. XD Hal IS the cutest thing on two feet, and Chris's personality is a winner. I love how easy he is to get along with! XD

So! How did you like the first round of Frequency? This was pretty kick-butt for me. XD I made darn tootin' sure that this project would be packed with amazing detail. It won't match the brilliance of 'Crossfire', but you can expect this entire adventure to be nothing short of astounding. I think we've already gotten off to a flawless start. XD

Thanks for checking this out! Hopefully I was able to provide my friends with at least a tiny push of inspiration. XD


	2. Chapter 2

Hi there, kiddies! Welcome to the second chapter of 'Frequency'! The wheels have been churning for this tale, as I have been collecting ideas for scenes left and right. My baby sister and I are borrowing a copy of Capcom's Resident Evil 5, an astounding game of bewitching proportions. That's definitely a strong source of inspiration. XD This morning we encountered a bit of Chris Redfield's past, and I decided to include an alteration of that moving cutscene into this chapter. Sheva sparks the story-telling within the game's cutscene, but Hal will be the one to kick things off. Speaking of Hal, I've made a Chris/Hal segment that brings tears to my eyes. I have 'Shall Never Surrender' as the backdrop for that segment. XD They really are an adorable pair. XD Watch out for the otaku, as he'll literally bust into action in a future chapter!

**Warning: I know I'm being repetitive, but you wouldn't believe what I've encountered on this site. Here I go again! You've got your emotional Snake and boy/boy love. No likey, no readie time for you!**

* * *

_Nighttime draped a dark cerulean blanket across the heavens. The skies were devoid of stars as mortals walked, healing each other's bodies. Wounds were dressed by bonfires as meals were given, delivered by a cheerful little maiden. Smiles accompanied the meager yet lovingly crafted food, twinkling with the essence of absent stars. The dank, hot air threatened to dampen many spirits, but the high spirits of friends eliminated the need for misery. Weary, throbbing backs were soothed by tree stumps and boxes. Voices were dragged down by exhaustion, but words were warm and encouraging._

_Excruciating trials plowed through the day, clouding out any chance for happiness. The bodies of fallen BSAA were discovered in corridors, torn asunder by victims of the Deus virus. Their smouldering, rotting remains stabbed the nostrils of remaining heroes-and caused knives to plunge deep into their hearts. Hal, who already had his hands full with a frantic Snake, was distressed by Sheva's disposition. As they travelled through the remains of a once-beautiful realm, she was increasingly frustrated. Everything she saw, ranging from burned homes to bloodied bodies, stomped on her spirit. They were, after all, in an African jungle-and Africa was her home. Her motherland._

_Sheva was not only dismayed by the condition of her home. She kept close eyes on Snake, who was strangely silent and antsy. The old soldier's family knew of his adorable characteristics, and a quiet disposition was part of his endearing makeup. However, his behavior around rotting corpses troubled them. He wasn't the least bit comfortable with the environments they traveled through, unless their assignments sent them through fields or water. Chris, as always, kept firm eyes on him, but Sheva couldn't shake her strong concern. No one else could either, despite Chris's vow to protect Snake against everything-including the Devil himself. His nightmares of Wesker were certainly lodged in his mind, as they were reels of the unimaginable. He spoke of Wesker's torture methods to Hal, and from what the otaku gathered, his friend's nights were none too peaceful. And that wasn't all. Hal felt as if he had only be able to touch the surface of Snake's psyche, exposed to very little of his dearest friend's pain._

_No one expected anyone to be in high spirits throughout the day. The day didn't allow any room for light-hearted conversations, as it was hot and unbearably difficult to bear with. The BSAA officers were uneasy, and couldn't stop worrying about their new friend-Snake. Chris reprimanded them harshly during the morning, as they were guilty of degrading his relationship to the old soldier. They never said anything when the Redfield was around, for that would've been no different from jumping into pirahna-infested waters. Instead they took the cowardly way out, and piled dirt on the budding relationship whenever Chris was out of earshot. Snake, however, was always around to hear the horrid remarks._

_"Can't believe Redfield's hooked up with that old geezer. Never would have expected it."_

_"Have you seen him? He's three times older than Chris-if not older! Freaky shit, man!"_

_"I can't even picture myself rubbing against an old guy. Totally not my style. I mean, think about it. Old balls?"_

_And yes, the remarks didn't end there. The male officers had a natural penchant for vulgarity, and they didn't hesitate to release vulgar comments about a certain pair. For Snake, the filthy remarks about sex were the most painful ones to receive. However, he said absolutely nothing as Chris's fellow officers joked and snickered-for fear of getting them in trouble. Hal was far too immersed in his gadgets to notice the bullies, and Sheva was always glued to Chris, but Sunny was available. She caught most of the comments and didn't take a shine to any of them. Seeing her Epyon's face wasn't exactly a delight, either. On a particularly fateful morning, one soldier made a cruel remark on one of Snake's particular body parts. Sunny reported the officer to Chris, who was assisting Sheva in patching up an officer's wounds. She then reported how the officers had repeatedly made nasty remarks._

_The one responsible for attacking Snake's 'snake' was immediately sent back to headquarters. Chris deemed him unworthy of the BSAA's honor, and declared him unfit to be even a man. He then proceeded to verbally beat the shit out of the remaining force._

_"We're here to eradicate a malicious threat, and you're all running around like a pack of cackling geese! You're all officers of the BSAA, not a pack of witless kindergartners! You've shamed the BSAA name and I find that disgusting!"_

_A mere glare from Chris Redfield was equal to a million red flags. Having the word 'disgusting' thrown out was worse than being impaled on a javelin. His co-officers were beaten into submission, hanging their heads like wounded dogs. A cheerful Sheva gave him a round of applause, but the Redfield's mood was shot. He gave Hal and Sunny permission to silence future remarks, then spent twenty minutes on the phone with headquarters-obviously dealing with the morning's greatest offender. If anyone else had been in Chris's position, the officer would have been released-and the entire ordeal would have been washed down the drain. The one reporting the issue would have been severely penalized for complaining about a personal spat._

_The officer was fired after the expiration of twenty minutes, and the Redfield earned glowing praise from his superior. The BSAA's honor was a matter of immense importance, and through Chris's run-down of the situation, his superior saw how the offender endangered the force. Roy Campbell contacted him shortly after the call to his supervisor ended, thanking him for protecting an old friend. A giggling Sunny was momentarily guilty about ruining someone's job, but her affection for Epyon quickly squashed her lament. It gave her a thrill to know she wiped out a problem, especially since the problem affected someone she cared for-deeply. She 'tattled' on a bunch of 'bullies', all to help out her Epyon. As for her Dingo, he won a million extra points in her book._

_A sheepish Snake went to the Redfield, ready to say he was sorry. He had all of his 'I'm sorry's and 'I wish you hadn't done that's ready. He was truly sorry-sorry about ruining the morning, sorry about ruining breakfast, and sorry about stomping out someone's job. It wasn't fair. The officers weren't used to the idea of an old git shacking up with a perfectly healthy, young and agile stallion. Nobody was used to it. And Chris was one of their own! They had every right to be protective. He shouldn't have had the officer fired. He was only expressing himself, was only telling the truth-_

_He expected Chris to come at him with 'why didn't you tell me sooner's and 'I can't believe you didn't say anything to me's. He really was sorry, and expected Chris to be thoroughly pissed off. Sunny took the situation into her little hands, when it was his burden to bear! He shouldn't have allowed any of that to happen, and Chris had every right to be angry. Snake would get it, all right. Chris would be sore with anger, thoroughly miffed over the ruined morning and his run-in with Dean McGon-_

_Chris smiled, patted him on the shoulder, and asked him what he wanted for breakfast: broth or fruit pudding._

_He couldn't believe it. Couldn't believe how easy it was for Chris to smile. Couldn't believe how happy he was over fruit mush and watery broth. He still couldn't believe how readily Chris had handed over his name, instantly killing formalities upon arrival. He and Sheva referred to him as '' as soon as they met up, but Chris smiled and put them on a first name basis. Hal, right after the Redfield's awe-inspiring defense of Snake, asked Sheva about a potential BSAA chieftain. Chris could certainly lead the entire force, with his dashing degree of valor!_

_Sheva told him Chris wasn't the one to play 'Grand Poobah', and would hate to be locked inside of a cage all day long._

_Shortly after that, Snake told Hal that being around Chris was like watching doves take flight._

_The officers were certainly affected by Chris's stance. After a quick recovery from shame, they immediately set about with befriending Snake. Officers constantly asked him if he was all right, if he needed anything to drink, or if he just needed to sit down and relax. Snake was wary of their treatment at first, wondering if they were only playing nice just to stay out of a T-Rex's jaws. And nobody fancied being fired. Hours passed, though, softening Snake's fear. The sincerity of Chris's brethren became clear. They weren't exactly used to seeing a friend with an old geezer, and it just took a powerful slap to make them acknowledge reality. Maybe that's why mothers used the 'time out' concept._

_As the day drew on, all tossed off the morning's excitement. The sun settled into their bones, burdening them as wounds were quickly born. Chris and his officers were adamant about shielding Snake from harm (much to the horror of his ego), but they too were gravely affected by the day's turmoil. Time took a light turn once Snake was stricken by what appeared to be a light stomach-ache, though. The soldier fussily stood his ground, hellbent on providing the team with assistance. As soon as nighttime struck, his tummy ailment went into full bloom. Hal wondered if FoxDie was taking a nasty turn, and could do nothing but fret-until Snake explained how the stomach-ache came about. Out of sheer curiosity, he ate a plant that turned out to be poisonous. Chris, at the height of Snake's curiosity, happened to be speaking with Drebin about weapons supply._

_Nighttime was a gentle blanket to all hearts, especially Snake's. Loving, tender arms placed him near a bonfire, ready and willing to provide him with the care he needed. It was difficult to make out any faces, but he could identify voices easily. Chris was holding him as a child would cuddle a puppy or teddy bear. Sunny was nearby, saying something about 'Nataku' and 'bedtime'. Maybe the other officers needed her. She was quite excited about something. What was going on?_

_Small feet took flight. Sunny had taken off in a hurry, evidently happy about her latest assignment. He opened his mouth to inquire about her, but the urge to vomit instantly swept all words underneath a carpet. "Whoa there," the Redfield said soothingly, hands about his charge in a gentle manner. He began to caress the back of his patient, calming a stream of coughs. "Calm down. You're all right. Everything's okay."_

_He peered into the Redfield's face, desperately wishing for the return of clear vision. Why did everything have to be so blurry?_

_"You're all right. I'm here," Chris said, chuckling at Snake's look of desperation. "You're gonna be all right soon. Why did you eat that, anyway?"_

_With a wounded ego, Chris's puppy growled in his own defense. The Redfield laughed once again, cradling him. "I can't leave you alone for two seconds. Feel like drinking something for me?"_

_He wouldn't mind drinking something. He certainly wouldn't mind following one of Chris's wishes. The Redfield had just defended him at the cost of one officer's job! He loved him, and expressed his love openly-without fear, without regret, and without hesitation!_

_"All right then," Chris said jovially, popping open some sort of bottle. Or maybe it was his thermos. Hard to tell. "I'm going to give you some tea. Luckily, Sheva was able to pick up a chamomile bunch. A mint bunch, too."_

_He couldn't keep his eyes open any longer. Everything just seemed so foggy, and his insides were throbbing with nausea. Where was the tea? Was it stuck inside of the bottle contraption? What if Chris wanted to keep the tea for himself? It was his, after all, and he had already sacrificed five water portions for him. He had every right to keep the tea. It would surely be refreshing, and after all of the sacrifices he made, why shouldn't he drink it? Why-_

_-was there a warm, glorious sensation sweeping through his body?_

_The world returned to him through small slitted windows. A pair of lips had fallen onto his own, pouring a cascade of refreshing liquid down his throat. The lips, despite the fragrant tea's cooling system, were actually far superior for his body's benefit. They fell onto his hungry pair several times, sending pools of tea down his throat._

_Whenever Chris was around, doves took flight all right-against a backdrop of sunshine and a trumpeter's song._

* * *

He lay there, encased in the Devil's domain. Every last part of him, from his hair follices to his toes, ached with an incomprehensible fever-for several different reasons. His environment was unbearably chilly, FoxDie was a mischievous little imp, and his captor hadn't done him any favors. His master had torn him apart-body, mind and spirit. He felt as if he had been left in a million little pieces, scattered and rotting all over the floor. The chilly winds of Hell were engulfing the rotten remains of his body, playing with them as hyenas fought over scattered offal.

Spasms rattled his body as if it had transformed into a baby's rattle. FoxDie was at its worse, but the virus was the smallest of his problems. A man named Albert Wesker had plunged into his body with the ferocity of a ravenous, greedy cheetah, determined to eat every last shred of meat. The only things Wesker didn't touch were his eyes-at least not with his hands or mouth, anyway. Whatever Wesker didn't stain with body movements, he stained with words. While he tore into his helpless canary's body, he degraded every last thing about his prey. He scorned his eyes, the color of his hair, the size of his 'pickle'...all the while forcing himself inside, claiming to love the very bird he tormented. Driving salt into already thick wounds, Wesker loved to point out how the canary practically flew into his cage.

Did he, now? Did the one named Snake give himself to Albert Wesker? Was the battle for Snake's body really so easy for the self-proclaimed god? It depended on one's perspective. The old one never really believed he deserved Chris Redfield, despite his ever-growing love for the young and brave stallion. The comments of the other officers remained with him, for they were reflections of his own mind. He didn't blame Dean or any of the others for remarking on his body's condition, let alone his age. He wasn't exactly the youngest, healthiest apple of the bunch. So what gave him the right to love Chris? What gave him the right to lead Chris on? Why should he drag that beautiful, warm-hearted man along on a string when it just wasn't right?

Getting pissed off at Chris didn't help, and it certainly didn't help to light a fuse over Hal. On one fateful night, the old one happened to discover Chris's pent-up PTSD-and lost his grip on bubbly, giddy affection. Prior to the discovery of Chris's trauma, Snake had carried himself with the fluttery excitement of a schoolgirl. He had fallen madly, head over heels in love with an incredibly beautiful man! The giddiness erupted after the Redfield pretty much kicked all of his officers in their rear ends. After that incident, Snake glued himself to Chris-looking very much like a puppy that had just been rescued from euthansia. Hal would find him smiling-even glowing-at times.

But all of that changed once Chris's pain was revealed.

When people became angry, they threw themselves into intricate, painful decisions. Some threw themselves into alcohol, others dove into debt, and Snake surrendered himself to Earth's Devil. But, of course, his actions were justified. He never deserved Chris in the first place, so it was only right to seek love elsewhere. Perhaps he could come to love Wesker. Perhaps Wesker would be so bad after all. Perhaps having Wesker caress him wasn't so horrible. Wesker, after all, was handsome-practically beautiful. Muscular, powerful, fearless-he was truly a god in his own right. Perhaps he could adapt to Wesker's moist, warm tongue. Perhaps he'd get used to having his master's hands squeeze and caress his lonely, hungry body. Chris hadn't done anything more than kiss him. What fun was there in first base? What if Wesker was better than Chris would ever be? What if-

-wait a minute. Why was he giving so many points to Wesker? Wesker was cruel! Heartless! He wasn't anything more than a monster! A sex hungry monster that cared nothing for him, let alone anyone else! His brother was an idiot to work for him! And he could NEVER love a beast like Wesker! He loved Chris! Chris Redfield! He wanted-

Wesker to squeeze his behind. Wanted Wesker to lick every last drop of juice from his thighs. Wanted Wesker's rock-hard javelin to bury itself deep within the moist cavern of his body. Wanted to be dominated, controlled, overwhelmed by-

"Chris...C-C-Chris..."

"I see you're suffocating, my beloved canary," a cat purred, making his way through the door. The door closed behind him, leaving the two of them alone inside of their makeshift bedroom. Hiding out in an abandoned tribal home wasn't exactly romantic, but Wesker wasn't exactly Casanova. And it was exactly enchanting to have the lifeless bodies of tribal members hanging outside of the bedroom window. Wesker couldn't take the points of those, though. The 'trophies' were Liquid's idea.

The cat, beaming from ear to ear, strolled to the side of his bed-savoring the look of longing, helplessness and fear on his bird's face. "I see we've still got some work to do," he said sweetly, running a hand over the bird's quivering chest. Oh, his touch felt good. It was akin to diving into buttermilk. The canary closed his eyes and shuddered, whimpering for more. Smiling at his prey's reactions, the cat began to undress himself.

"Don't you worry, sweetheart. I'll have your heart cleansed of that bastard, and then you'll be mine. We'll be one, you and I, and nothing will separate us. Nothing will come between us."

Slowly the cat made his descent, climbing on top of the whimpering canary. "I'll capture you," he purred, hands running across the older male's body. "I'll love you as no mortal would ever dare to love you. You'll forever remain nothing in the eyes of humanity, for you're nothing but a weapon. A simple, ugly, wretched little thing that's due to wither away. You'll ebb away into ashes, my dearest canary, and no one will remember you. No one will care that you've departed from this mortal coil. Your existence is meaningless, and will forever remain meaningless."

The bird shut his eyes in preparation. Harder than steel, a blade plunged deep into his insides-ravaging everything it touched. Hands clamped down on the liquified buttocks of his canary, a moaning Wesker relished every second of his conquest. "You'll be mine, you disgusting sack of slime, and I'll tear you apart," the deity vowed, eyes gleaming with crimson hunger. "I'll eat you alive, you putrid little worm. Th-th-there won't be anything left...of th-th-this...ugh...corrupted, sickening corpse you c-c-call a body!"

A loud, guttural moan tore itself from Wesker's throat. Milky white liquid splashed against the air, and was soon directed at the canary's face. The expulsion of milk into the bird's face went on for a minute, then the cat released a weighty sigh. The bird soon heard the sound of a zipper. "You may be ugly, but there's something adorable about you," the feline said, pouring sugar all over his shivering victim. "Perhaps its your broken innocence. That explains why I can't get enough of you. Too bad Redfield didn't fuck you before I got a hold of you. I'm sure he would have enjoyed himself."

Tears streamed from the bird's face, falling down his semen-stained cheeks. He heard the sound of fleeting footsteps, then captured Wesker's departure from the room. Moaning, whimpering and weeping, he resigned himself to a world he could not escape from. He was left alone, wrestling against feelings he would have loved to tear out of his body. Wrestling against overwhelming, elevating love for-

Wesker. Or was it Chris?

What was wrong? Why was his heart torn between the two?

If he had been able to hear the conversation beyond the door, Old Snake would have found out the answer.

"Have you broken him yet? It's been far too long! I'm ready to play now!"

"Quiet down, you idiot. It'll take some time, but I'll weave myself into him. I'll have him shattered before long, and Redfield will be out of the picture. He'll be as good as dead once he discovers what I've done."

* * *

Hal excitedly threw glances at him, staring at him as a child would gaze at a superhero. His superhero was in the driver's seat, driving one of the many trucks of the BSAA forces. Sheva, of course, was in the passenger's seat-and Hal was in the back with his daughter, Sunny. As the other officers were, they were on their way to investigate another Deus site. Africa, much to Sheva's dismay, was being used as a hotbed for biological experiments. The BSAA were hired to eradicate all traces of any inhumane behavior, including viruses. Chris wasn't too thrilled with having a certain ordeal placed on the backburner, but no one could pinpoint the exact location of Wesker, Liquid or...unfortunately, the absent Snake. Sheva could easily see her partner's uneasiness, and didn't like her inability to heal it.

The superhero had no need to verbally communicate with Sheva, as they were able to communicate through a single glance. As soon as they met, the two of them realized they were destined to befriend one another. Hal, on the other hand, took every chance to speak with the Redfield. He would have been in tears over Snake's absence if it hadn't been for the Redfield, and he took every chance to let Chris know it. Once he opened his mouth, the beautiful Sheva threw Chris a mischievous smile. His voice was warm and light, just like a small beam of sunshine.

"Dingo, what happened?"

Chris threw Sheva a smile, noticing Hal's usage of his nickname. Prior to the morning, Hal called Chris by his birth name-Chris. It was Mr. Redfield for a second, but Chris killed the formality. While Sheva launched into a hand game with Sunny, Chris launched into a conversation with Hal-still driving with unrivaled prowess. And thankfully, the roads were calm. "What are you talking about?" the officer asked, his voice always light and gentle.

"I'm referring to your partner," the otaku said, smiling at his happy daughter. She was immensely fond of Sheva, as she was fond of Chris. "Would you mind telling me what happened?"

Silence was Hal's only response for a second, but then Chris dove into his answer. His voice lost a great deal of its light cheeriness, perhaps adopting the aura it was truly meant to have. "I lost her a little while back," the stallion began gently, sadly. Returning to a world of black memories wasn't exactly thrilling. Anger and sadness elevated with his additional words, even causing his voice to tremble-and pour black sarcasm. "Fought against a man named Albert. Albert Wesker. Name ring a bell?"

Hal said nothing, regretting his wish to learn Chris's past. "He was about to take my life, but she stepped in," Chris continued, tightening his grip on the steering wheel. "Exchanged places with me. She gave up her life for mine. And the bastard that killed her is holding the love of my life prisoner. Fascinating story, huh?"

"We're sorry," Sunny (she and Sheva had stopped playing once story time began) whimpered, speaking on behalf of herself and her father. Chris quickly ruffled her hair, then returned his eyes to the road.

"Don't worry about it, munchkin. You two didn't have anything to do with it. I wish I could rip out my heart for getting Snake involved with Wesker, but don't worry about it."

'It's not like he introduced Epyon to that meanie', Sunny's eyes said to her father. Hal nodded in silent agreement, none too happy with Chris's penchant for self-degradation. "You're really nice," the munchkin said to the Redfield, pleading with him to stop the self-bashing. It just wasn't fair. "I like you, Dingo. I see why Nataku likes you a lot, and I'm glad you're really good friends with Daddy. Your partner did what she believed in because...well, because she wanted to protect you!"

"Gee, thanks," Chris said sullenly, not knowing whether to thank Sunny or reject her encouragement. The little girl clamped onto the side of his seat, speaking urgently.

"Epyon doesn't hate you. You think he does, but he doesn't. He's out there waiting for you! And how do you know your old partner's gone? She could be waiting for you too!"

'Dingo' gave a wide-eyed look of astonishment to Hal.

Hal smiled and shrugged.

"What makes you think she's still alive?" the otaku's friend asked, voice covered in shock. A beaming Sunny giggled, and meanwhile, Sheva took out her PDA device. "Something's telling me you're just being a big ol' pessimist," the munchkin said cheekily, then stuck out her tongue. "She's out there, I know it. Just like Epyon!"

It was as if Sunny had told him she was the reincarnation of Queen Hatshepshut, and Sheva was the founder of Mars. "I don't believe this," the Redfield said, shaking his head. "What do you think of my sister, Claire? Is she out there too? I don't have the foggiest idea about what happened to her!"

Exchanging a bright, warm smile with her father, Sunny delivered her answer.

"Yep. I think so. I still think you're just being a big pessimist."

"Yeah, well, I wish I could be a big optimist-like you," the Redfield said warmly, and said nothing more. None of them shed another word as their vehicle sped through the dusty, murky road.

Well, their mouths weren't moving, but their hearts were talking loud and clear. A beloved, absent face was stamping itself all over their minds, but Chris wasn't just pining over his lost lover.

He discovered that Sunny Emmerich was just as much of an idiot as her father.

* * *

This was composed to 'Nara', 'Ebla' and 'Tifa's Theme' (Orchestrated Version).

Now, you know very well that Chris wouldn't truly see the Emmerichs as idiots. As you just discovered, he has an extremely low opinion of himself-and isn't exactly the bouncy cheerleader type. XD So of course he's going to reject Sunny's words, and Hal's glowing portrait of him. He's far from a superhero-in his own eyes, anyway. He actually announces that to Sheva in RE5: 'I'm no superhero'. XD

Queen Hatshepsut was an Egyptian queen of ancient times.

Thanks for diving into the second chapter of 'Frequency'! Expect more to come soon as my sister and I play RE5. XD Ideas are fast, fresh and fun! XD Just wait 'til you see what I conjure up for Snake. You're most likely going to hate me. Bwee hee hee. XD Lots of love!


	3. Chapter 3

Underneath a silver, listless sky, four hearts crept closer to an obliterated village. All of them were submerged in silence, as they had tossed off the desire to speak not too long ago. Shortly after Chris's declaration of unbreakable despondency, the small group plunged into the blackest whirlpool of silent thoughts. Sheva desperately tried to locate a single uplifting statement, but none came to mind. Reluctantly she resigned herself to silence, highly uncomfortable with the disress of her loved ones. She couldn't help but think of their fellow officers, who were surely sharing her discomfort. They were either jittery or silent, far too overwhelmed to even think of sunshine. Life's magic had surely been drained out of their world, leaving all mortals with thick clouds of despair.

Just as the Alomar feared, the other officers were wrestling against apprehension. For a great deal of officers, apprehension bordered on intense anxiety. They felt as if they were heading straight into a shark's mouth, and with good reasons. Old Snake was still lost, tied down by the vicious arms of Albert Wesker-the greatest threat to humankind. In addition to the enslavement of their beloved comrade, whom they had befriended shortly after Chris's poignant scolding, the lives of other officers had been wiped out by Deus victims. Flocks of officers had literally been erased from the face of the Earth, fated to never again see a lick of light. Bodies had been thrown around without a care, beaten before discarded. Faces of brothers and sisters were locked in immortal pain, multilated as a result of unimaginable horrors. Many officers were lucky enough to see crocodiles consume rotting corpses, which were floating on the dirty water's surface. Sunny had given them their last portion of pristine water, but water was the least of their troubles. It would've been idiotic to worry about the absence of clear water at that time.

Chris was in a pensive mode, eyes seemingly locked on the road. His mind wandered through a forest as his eyes led him through the road. He was inwardly grateful for his ability to be on 'auto-pilot' mode, and perhaps that would be his only attribute he'd ever appreciate. He found himself singing at times, quietly performing songs of great significance. One song featured a line about transforming tears into roses. It didn't take half a mind to discover Chris's fondness for love songs, especially since he had given them to an old war hero. It was a little rough around the edges, but the Redfield's voice was beautiful. Soft and velvety, it had the raw aura of a newborn diamond. Sitting deep within a dark, cold cavern, it lit up the world like no other gem in history. Unfortunately, the diamond's light was far too mournful to bear. Chris's words may have been quiet, but that didn't dampen their weight.

Clutching his little daughter, Hal found himself with a great deal to think about. Winning the graceful, ravishing Sheva was the least of his worries, despite his elevating attraction to her. At least they were on the same page, able to function flawlessly in the same dimension of friendship. She was infinitely loyal to the otaku and his daughter, weaving herself into their lives as an eternal friend. A tiny sliver of his 'geeky otaku' side longed to transcend the 'friend' level, but reality called for deeper reflection. Africa had literally gone to the dogs, torn down by the endeavors of Wesker and his comrade-Snake's remaining brother. His lifelong friend was with Wesker, being violated in every way imaginable. What was he doing at that time? Was he smiling? What was he saying? Had he eaten anything? There was so much to think, so much to worry about. Prior to Wesker's interruption of life, he claimed to merely love Snake. Now he adored him, longed for him, and worshipped the ground he couldn't walk on. The legend was responsible for saving his life, in more ways than one. They had been friends-no, they were STILL friends! Almost ten years of friendship were out of the window, filled with ups and downs-tears and frowns-

_"I thought I could trust you! I thought we understood each other!"_

Hal winced as though Snake had stabbed him, right in the heart. The pain vanished a second later, replaced by a maddening surge of hope. His Snake didn't hate him. He didn't hate Chris, either. They had all just crashed into a massive misunderstanding! And the friendship he shared with his first hero was just too strong to wither away! He cherished Snake with every fiber of his being, and Snake knew that! He would think on that, even in Wesker's arms! Surely the old soldier believed in his calvary! He surely believed in the otaku, who (on a million occasions) vowed to follow him everywhere he went-without question!

Yeah! Their partnership-their friendship-was no different from Chris and Sheva's! They were meant to be together, and would forever remain friends, despite their little bumps in the road!

But where did all of those thoughts come from? Where did all of his adrenaline come from? He hadn't eaten a proper meal in ages. He'd never say anything horrible about Sheva and Sunny's cooking, especially since they did the best they could. How much could one make out in an African jungle? He never slept, never stopped tinkering with things-and, when one thought about it, his life was a complete mess. So where was all of the strength coming from? Why wasn't he in tears, cowering in a corner? Why wasn't he weeping over Snake's absence? Why was he so...excited?

The answer was simple: Chris.

* * *

The officers disembarked after a thousand ages. Happy to leave their vehicles behind, they tossed themselves onto solid ground in seconds. Teams dispersed after sharing fleeting conversations with the Redfield, ready to investigate a village that had been completely annihilated. Once-proud huts were no longer brown but black, akin to the ashes of a fallen body. The stench of offal littered the cold, clammy air, coming from two different sources: humans and fish. Shards of pottery were found on the ground, no longer able to show their radiance to the world. The memories of their creators had been crushed along with them, scattered all over the ground.

Followed by an anxious Hal and an equally anxious Sunny, Sheva Alomar and Chris Redfield made their way into the tribal leader's home. Luckily, his home had been left undamaged by the Deus virus. None of his family members had been infected, but other ailments scorched their home. Grimacing, Hal quickly noticed three painfully thin children, huddled in a corner. "We are all that's left of our home," the tribal leader was explaining, holding four new names to his heart. Chris had taken the opportunity to introduce himself and his entire group. Sheva was observing the tribal leader fretfully, as a mother would examine a bed-ridden child. Wishes to discover survivors were squashed.

"We lost a great deal of our brothers and sisters. We no longer have our crops to sustain us. I'm afraid my children and I may have to succumb to death, if no solution can be found for us."

Right then and there, Sheva adopted a frenzied, wide-eyed look. She looked as if she wished to explode, bearing a thousand different questions and concerns. "We haven't eaten in days," the frail tribal leader went on, shaking his head. "Our way of life is dying. My children can't do anything but fear life. We see no point in living if it cannot be done properly."

Sheva reacted as if he had just asked her to strip. There was no way he could give in so easily! They had to survive! They just had to! They couldn't greet death so easily! There had to be a way to save them--!

Chris threw her a look that said: _now you know how I feel._

"Isn't there anything we can do?" the Alomar whispered to Chris frantically. It was like she was sitting inside of a hospital, waiting for her family to emerge from the Intensive Care Unit. A part of the Redfield wanted to dismiss her with a scowl, but the absence of Snake's location wasn't her fault. Despite Sheva's inability to pinpoint the location of his lover, he still couldn't shake the bitter sarcasm of his heart. He had to place his search for his lover on the backburner, while Sheva fretted over her brethren. As things were, both BSAA officers were at dead ends.

"We have no shelter to offer, and we hardly have enough food to sustain ourselves. We can't even nourish ourselves with water anymore."

As Hal and Sunny shared fretful glances, Sheva unleashed all of her fear. "We cannot just allow them to die here! There must be something we can do for them!"

"Sheva-"

_"I can't tolerate this any longer! My people are dying, and there's nothing I can do! Soon, I'll be the only one left of the motherland!"_

The Alomar turned away from the Redfield in a flash, face drenched in pain. A helpless Chris observed her as she paced around, wrestling against the inevitable and everything she wished to accomplish. Hal and Sunny's eyes followed suit, also filled with anguish. "I can't take this any more," the maiden said, hands clamped against the sides of her head. Hal moved forward to comfort her, but floundered as a fish out of water. He resigned himself to overpowering sadness, hanging his head in the manner of a wounded canine. "This isn't a ballpark for me either, Nataku," the Redfield said, warmth clashing against bitterness. "I don't enjoy leaving innocents behind to suffer. It's not the best part of my job. We could reconnect with headquarters and ask them to escort this family to safety, but then that wouldn't be fair to the remaining people of this village. Besides, asking for an escort service carries far too many risks. The beasts we've seen haven't just been on foot, and I'm sure you remember the losses we've suffered on our side. We lost fifty officers in the span of two hours. A taxi service wouldn't be the best of ideas right now."

Sheva, apologetic and mournful, stared into her partner's face. She wasn't the only one suffering. The BSAA had suffered tremendous losses in a painfully short amount of time, and Chris...Chris was missing someone. Someone that was of great importance to his heart, her heart, Hal's heart and the hearts of others. Wesker was probably slaughtering Snake's soul-if he hadn't done it already. And she had told Chris to be patient. She told her partner to lie in wait, due to the absence of information on his beloved's whereabouts. No one knew where Snake had been spirited away to, but that didn't give her or anyone else the right to pat Chris on the head. He wasn't a child trying to report a bed monster.

She stared at him. He stared at her, communicating in the same manner. They shared fear, reluctance, sadness and resignation, dreading inevitability. Sheva apologized to him with her crystal-clear eyes, hurt by her own behavior. As the Chibi Mark performed a dance for the tribal leader's children, Hal mustered up the courage to ask a question. "Are you, by any chance, familiar with Albert Wesker, or a man named Liquid Ocelot?" the otaku asked the patriarch, straightening his glasses. Sheva threw him an ephemeral smile, amused by his crisp pronunciation of words. Meanwhile, the patriarch fumbled with an answer. Although his spirit had been eternally broken, his voice scraped up a bit of energy.

"I am familiar with neither of those men. However, I was able to catch the words of my lost brethren. Minds lost from rage, they spoke of their...'messiah'. A man that would deliver them from eternal bondage. They...they also spoke of...a...sacrifice. I do believe...their so-called messiah is going to sacrifice a mortal life."

Chris, Sheva, Sunny and Hal instantly exchanged glances.

It didn't take half a second to identify Wesker's sacrifice.

Sheva looked as if someone had abruptly shoved a dagger through her chest. Sunny's face was whiter than paper, and Hal wanted to laugh at everything the patriarch had just said. The tribal leader's children observed the adult conversation worriedly, sharing fear as their elders spoke. "Their language, for the most part, is...difficult to understand," the patriarch continued, uncomfortable with giving new friends additional burdens. "But I overheard something that concerns this sacrifice. I do believe the messiah's going to celebrate some sort of new age with a fire ritual."

The elder's words were a brutal slap to Chris. The Redfield clutched his stomach, instantly stricken by some sort of disease. Paranoia bubbled, boiled and flooded his bloodstream, threatening to bring him to his knees. Nausea erupted-images-too many images-it was as if a stomach virus had arrived out of nowhere-

_"Chris?! Chris?!"_

He opened his mouth to reply, but couldn't. So many voices flooded his ears. Sheva called him by his birth name, while Hal and Sunny called him 'Dingo'. Children were wailing, crying-the patriarch's arms were about him, trying to comfort him-

A pair of fists landed on his abdomen, then pressed down on that particular area. A sharp lunge for air was executed as the Redfield returned to life, courtesy of Sheva's Heimlich manuever. However, the ailments didn't end there. While Chris was given an extra breath of oxygen, his pain remained. He looked as if he wished to fall over and shatter, hardly able to remain on his feet. Hal and the patriarch supported him, thoroughly worried. "What is it?" the Alomar asked, narrowing her eyes at Chris in an inquisitive, fearful manner. "Don't tell me you've been infected!"

Chris's speech was unnaturally fast and high-pitched. He staggered as he held a hand against his head, speaking as if he had fallen into the control of some deranged puppeteer. "No," he began, eyes rolling, nausea rising-

"He told me-told me-fire-fire everywhere-"

Hal's face lost every drop of blood. "What are you talking about?" Sheva pressed urgently, walking towards her partner. Chris continued to stagger, hands against his head-

"He told me...told me about the fire...told me about Wesker. He told me it would happen, and I-oh God-"

Nothing else mattered. Nothing could be heard. Everything was unknown, save for the rhythm of his own heart-and the dull, maddening throb of nausea. Leaving behind his remaining links to sanity, he bolted outside and leaned over the side of a bridge. Out came the result of overpowering, intolerable fear. Once his body finished the expulsion of hot, liquified fear, he was able to make out Hal Emmerich's voice. Gentle arms were about him, calming him-urging him to relax-sending him love-

Another pair of arms joined Hal's, and Sheva's melodious voice entered the picture. He was transported back into the patriarch's hut slowly, as if he had become a glass statue. Upon arrival, he was instantly greeted by those that cared for him. Sunny rushed to meet the returning trio, her pure features awash in concern. "Are you okay, Dingo?" she asked, worried beyond description. At her side, her three new friends silently echoed her anxiety. The frail patriarch stepped forward, his face radiant with sympathy. "I see you're familiar with the messiah's future sacrifice," he said sadly, as Sunny rushed to give Chris an embrace.

"I am sorry, my child. If there was anything I could do-"

"You've got your own troubles," the Redfield said breathlessly, trying his hardest to smile. He was also trying his hardest to repress a second round of vomiting, unable to wipe horrible images of fire from his mind-

"Thanks for all of your help," Chris Redfield the officer said, taking the patriarch's hand. It was almost impossible to speak, but the BSAA's prized officer had a situation to take care of. He believed he was taking care of it properly, but it didn't take a nutcase to hear the bumps in Chris's bravery.

"We really appreciate the information you've given us. I wish there was something we could do for you, but...as I explained to my partner, options for your relief are unavailable. I truly am sorry."

Sheva exchanged a fearful glance with Hal. The patriarch, no stronger than a stick, wished to extend every last breath for Chris's safety. The meaty officer looked as if he wished to fall apart, right then and there on his floor. "Perhaps you should take a few minutes to relax, child," the elder said gently, speaking to the Redfield as if he had become a mere thread. "Rest yourself. You should not exert yourself beyond your limits!"

The thread wanted to reassure everyone of his safety, but it was impossible. Standing on his own two feet was unbearably difficult. Dizziness pranced and ran on his insides in the form of an imp, laughing hysterically. The patriach's living room was getting smaller-everything was tight, too tight. The air was getting heavier, thicker-it was harder to breathe, intolerably hard to blink-room was getting smaller and smaller-

"He told me...told me it would happen."

"Chris," Sheva said sternly, stepping towards her partner. Chris, unaware of everything around him, returned a hand to the side of his head. He staggered as if he had been slapped one too many times, his body completely devoid of any nourishment. In other words, his gas tank was dangerously low. His voice tossed off its shrill quality, and wasn't as quick as lightning, but its new attributes weren't pleasing either. He spoke in a slow, sluggish manner, as if someone had drugged him beyond comprehension. He feared every word he had to say, speaking them with a face whiter than the moon.

"He told me it would happen. Told me...told me Wesker would...told me he'd b-b-burn. Told me it would happen. The sacrifice. It was in one of his nightmares."

The intensity of Sheva's tone heightened. _"Chris--!"_

Sunny peered into her father's face, begging to be taken into his arms. Her request was soon granted by a fearful otaku, who was not only fearing for the life of a small family, but for the life of his precious friend. Chris peered into all of their faces and had a wild-eyed look about him, reminding Hal of a spooked horse. "He's gone," he said breathlessly. "He's gone. Wesker has to be preparing him. I know its about to happen. That son of a bitch is killing him and I can't stop it. There's nothing I can-"

Sheva knew. She knew what was happening. She acknowledged it with a grim, stern facial expression, reflecting on the situation's possible solutions. Chris's Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder had kicked into high gear, bringing claustrophobia along with it. He wasn't himself, speaking at strange speeds and high pitches. He was dizzy, disoriented, and unable to recognize any of his loved ones-let alone the family. He had just thrown up his only nourishment, which wasn't much to begin with-and his body was convulsing with the need to vomit again. If a stranger had caught a glimpse of the Redfield, they would have assumed him to be infected by the Deus virus.

The last time Chris's PTSD exploded, it almost caused him to commit suicide. And Chris was the LAST person their team needed to lose. In a few seconds, he'd start tearing at himself all over again. He was still equipped with a pocket knife. Perhaps someone should've taken it from him-

"I failed him. He's gone. He's gone, and there's not a damn thing I can do-"

**"CHRIS!"**

"Fire-fire everywhere-its taking him, and I can't stop it-"

The Alomar balled her hands into fists, gritting her teeth. She had come up with two options to cure the solution, and she ended up choosing the second. Without giving any warning to the others, she bolted right over to Chris's side and-

-sent a staggering roundhouse kick to his face, knocking his head straight into the wall.

The patriarch gathered his children in a huddle. Hal, clutching onto Sunny, gave Sheva a wide-eyed look of extreme disbelief. "Miss Alomar!"

Sheva ignored him. _"Chris, get up! On your feet, soldier!"_

Chris placed a hand upon the throbbing area of his head, but did nothing more. Sheva spoke to him again, voice striking at him as a cold whip. _"Get up, Redfield! On your feet, I said!"_

Silently, Chris rose to his feet. He could not avoid the icy cold glare of Sheva Alomar's face. "There's still hope," the lionness growled, hands on her hips and chest forward. "There's still a glimmer of light, and while that light exists-while we are still able to breathe-we cannot abandon that little sliver of light! Despite its size it is still light! You cannot leave Snake to Wesker's devices! If you truly love him, you will NOT leave Snake to die! I will not allow it! You'll have to kill me before I allow you to sag in your saddle, Chris Redfield!"

Hal stole a glance at Sheva's face. Every inch of her pristine, immaculate face was ridden with fire-bright, undying, unbreakable fire. She seemed to be looking at Chris with rock-hard scorn, but she had the love of a mother deep within her fiery eyes. The aura of a determined, fearless knight belonged to her, as she unsheathed her handgun-then lifted it to Chris's face. "I've changed my mind," she said, voice playful but nonetheless dangerous. "You won't have to kill me. I'll beat you down if you even think of leaving that man to Wesker! And don't try me! I'll pull this trigger and you know it!"

The Emmerichs exchanged a small, sunny smile. Despite the intensity of the situation, both of them found Sheva's valor to be highly impressive. Hal also described it as something else.

'Unbelievably sexy'.

"For every second you hesitate, I'll put a hole in you. So just try it! When I'm done with you, you'll be begging for Wesker to take you!"

The atmosphere was painfully tense. The patriarch, silent and fearful, kept himself close to his whimpering children. Sunny kept her eyes glued to the livid Sheva, while Hal treated the Alomar and Redfield as a ping pong ball. They waited for the future with bated breath, uncertain, frightened-and then-

Chris Redfield, smiling, placed a hand on Sheva's gun barrel.

Both Alomar and Redfield gazed at one another, bearing different facial expressions. Sheva stared at Chris with wide eyes, while Chris continued to smile at her. Her astonishment soon melted into a smile that reflected Chris's. "I'm not letting anything stand in your way," she said gently, all fury gone. Her cheeky, dazzling nature made a quick return, scooting dark wrath out of the way. "You're going to play the part of Prince Charming, and that's that."

Chris wanted to say a thousand things to her, and all of them were rich with affection. She placed a hand on his shoulder, eyes twinkling with profound love.

"Don't you dare say anything. I'm already shaken up!"

"Okay," the Redfield said with a shrug. "I won't."

Sheva found herself in a bear hug two seconds later. Coughing, she soon found herself on the floor. The patriarch's children, accompanied by Sunny, playfully comforted her. A glowing, beaming Hal couldn't stop gawking at her as she recovered her fallen handgun. She was the only person on Earth that had spent their past life as a lionness! What spirit. What finesse! What stunning beauty!

As an otaku's mind dove into dirty fantasies of an authoritative Sheva (and a whip), Chris endowed more words onto the patriarch's heart. "Thank you for letting us into your home," the Redfield said warmly, unhooking something from his belt. It was his thermos, filled with a small portion of crystal clear water.

"I'd like to give you this. I know its not much, but its all I can do to-"

Evidently moved by everything that had just happened, the former leader of a once proud tribe embraced him. "Its more than you know," he said breathlessly, tears gracing his weathered eyes. "Its much more than you know, child. Now leave us in peace, and follow the path you were destined to take."

Eyes glowing with tears, Sheva unlocked her thermos. Hal and Sunny followed suit. The tiny family reluctantly accepted Sheva and Hal's offerings, but flat out refused to take Sunny's thermos. "No," the family patriarch said, hands waving in firm refusal. "No no no! Your sacrifices are horrible enough! We will not allow ourselves to take precious water from a child!"

"But I don't want it," Sunny whimpered, holding out her thermos adamantly. "You guys need it more than I do!"

"Little one," the elder said, gently pushing her thermos down. The smile on his face almost caused Sunny to burst into sobs. "I would rather burn than take that from you."

Chris, on his own end, was already out the door. "Come on, guys," the Redfield said with a wave, face beaming. Evidently, he was able to locate a brand-new source of adrenaline. And everyone knew why the source had been born. "Can't take any more time. We've got missions to fulfill."

"What's got your feathers polished, big boy?" the Alomar asked roguishly, folding her arms with a smile. Chris shook his head, pretending to be ashamed of her. "Put away your feather polish and come on. We've got a sliver of light to pursue, don't we?"

His comrades were right behind him, following him with broad, hopeful smiles. Before a final departure, Chris Redfield spoke to the patriarch and his family-on behalf of everyone he loved. "Farewell, dear friends," the BSAA legend said with a firm salute. "Please, try to hold out. Where this is light, there is hope. Place your faith in us, as we will restore the light to this glorious land-in the name of your fallen brothers and sisters."

The chieftain of a tiny tribe said nothing, but his eyes spoke a thousand volumes. Every last volume was impenetrably warm, filled with a degree of hope Heaven couldn't even hold. His children were of the same mindframe, waving at their new friends with thermos in hand. The small squadron of intrepid warriors departed from their home, leaving newborn sunshine in their wake. The elder and his children celebrated life as they savored pristine water, drinking it as if it had descended from their eternal skies.

An hour later, the entire family was slain.

The word 'Deus' was a part of the Latin language, and it was attributed to things of the god-like state.

The mutilated bodies of the village were just playing dead.

* * *

This was composed to Clint Mansell's 'Requiem for a Tower' and 'Preliator' by Globus.

Quick trivia time! In Resident Evil 5, Sheva and Chris can resuscitate each other once they're in 'dying' status. In this chapter, Sheva performed the Heimlich manuever on Chris-and that was inspired by the game. XD

Originally, the patriarch wasn't going to provide information on Snake and Wesker. I happened to think of the 'messiah' concept during this chapter's composition! How about that, huh? XD

Sheva's 'on your feet, soldier' line was taken from the first Terminator film. XD No credit applies to me!

Forgive the absence of author notes! I was far too excited about this chapter to provide any at the start. XD Cheer for me as I head onto the notes for the next chapter! And hold onto your seats, my dear audience. You're going to be in for one amazing, exhilarating ride! XD

I spent five hours working on this chapter. XD I'm so proud, bwee hee hee.


	4. Chapter 4

Hal Emmerich had become Sherlock Holmes, ace detective.

Equipped with a strong pronunciation system and limitless curiosity, he investigated every nook and cranny of his domain. The world was at his fingertips, ready to be explored by one brave enough to endure all challenges. It was an oyster for one of great inquisitiveness, and Hal was ready for anything. Into his PDA went piles of information, all taken down by swift hands and an inquiring mind. If it hadn't been for the presence of two BSAA officers, he would have been drowning in his own tears. Losing one's best friend to a psychotic sex addict was akin to being burned at the stake. The love Hal carried for his lost friend was unfathomable, transcending even the heavens. Fortunately, the world's greatest detective was supported by two pillars.

Despite the severe lack of water, and the absence of food, the BSAA force trudged on. Sheva Alomar, Chris Redfield, Sunny Emmerich-Gurkolovich and her father were at the forefront of missions, scooping up information whenever possible. All officers hunted for information on Albert Wesker, his partner Liquid Ocelot, and their enigmatic activities. Updates on Snake were desperately sought after, but hardly any were given. Chris was able to wield the patriarch's information happily, but no additional information was given on the 'Messiah' and his future conquest. The horrible lack of information troubled every last one of them, but no one could match the pain of Chris Redfield. The stalwart legend successfully concealed grief and frustration in the eyes of all officers-excluding Sheva and the guest officers, Hal and Sunny (who had attained the nickname Chibi from Miss Alomar). For Sheva, picking up her partner's emotions was easier than breathing. Hal had been well trained to sniff out hidden emotions, for he had spent the last nine years living with a proud puppy. As for Sunny, she was equipped with a child's innate sense of wisdom. Children saw life through unclouded eyes, and it was unbelievably easy for her to pick up on Chris's emotions. The Redfield conducted investigations as a strong, fearless buck, but buckled between statements-and closed his eyes at times, reflecting on what had been said. His face was tight during reflection, and his mind fumbled with a challenge it couldn't even see.

No one could keep track of time-not even Sherlock Holmes. No one knew how much time elapsed between destinations, for time was a fox that easily evaded everyone's hands. It was much too hot and muggy to even measure an hour, let alone a minute. Sheva knew that she spent a great deal of time staring at Chris, treating him as a time bomb. Other than that, no one had even a weak grip on time. The force was thankful for the strange absence of Deus victims, but that was the key word: strange. The African world had not only become hotter, but it had become oddly quiet. Half of every officer's heart appreciated the silence, as it was much-needed. Unfortunately, the mature halves of every officer stared at the truth. In their line of work, silence was never golden. It was more along the lines of 'deadly'.

None of them were able to pick up anything on Snake, but they were able to scrape up valuable information. Hal, straightening his glasses every minute, noted everything in his PDA device. Villagers had been able to provide scant information on the Tricell company, which had barely begun its latest performance. As Hal drummed away on his PDA, Sheva explained something to her loyal band. Tricell was a company that supported Africa's BSAA branch, carefully protected by a woman named Excella. Chris almost became giddy when several BSAA officers supplied additional information, leading the Redfield's band to a great wealth of data. Excella, apparently, was making her rounds. Collaborating with Liquid Ocelot, she wished to take the reigns over an establishment that provided a great deal of oil. An oil company, one might call it. With that oil, the two of them could fund their new laboratory. They wished to make dolls for themselves, and all Wesker wanted was-

Piloted by Josh, chieftain of Africa's BSAA, a small boat transported a handful of duteous officers. Across murky waters it went, carrying pensive soldiers. Hal, having put his PDA device away, went into 'auto pilot' mode as he drummed away on the Mark II. Sunny sat close by, observing her father's movements and the conditions of her friends. Upon the first meeting, she had become greatly fond of Josh-who happened to be a strong friend of Sheva's. Once the Alomar was reunited with her old friend, she gave off a smile that almost sent Hal into tears. With a cheeky grin, Sheva assured him that they were simply great friends. Chris slapped the otaku on the back, amused by how he was about to burst into tears over a lost girlfriend-but wouldn't shed a tear over the missing Snake. To that, Hal simply replied:

_'He'd want me to be strong. And that's exactly what I'm going to do. Besides, I've got you here!'_

While Chris appreciated Hal's glowing admiration, it troubled him. He accepted it with a bubbling cauldron of reluctance and love, never comfortable with praise-for several reasons. Hal had thrown golden praise in his direction on many occassions, but he hadn't said a single 'thank you'. He even repelled Sheva's praise, and they were each other's shadow. Those words just would've been too hard to say. And apparently, he had trouble expressing affection in another department.

_'If I had only loved him enough...if I had shown him everything...he wouldn't have...'_

_'It's all my fault. All my damned fault. I didn't protect him. Didn't keep any of my damn promises. I wasn't any good to him.'_

_'If I hadn't been so careless, he would have come to me. He wouldn't have...'_

Chris could only get so far. If his mind even teetered on the tip of Snake's name, or even the name 'Epyon', paranoia threatened to jump beyond his gates and into his soul. His very psyche. Whenever he thought of his lover's face, the urge to vomit prodded him-and bricks bashed his skull in. Sheva and Hal would quickly notice a staggering, dizzy Redfield and revived him. Sunny offered him sips from her thermos, none too happy with carrying the solitary water source. He refused several times, but upon the sixth time, she threatened to shove the entire thermos down his throat. Her mood had blackened, and it wasn't due to the lack of nourishment. Hal overflowed with love as his daughter was increasingly uncomfortable with the condition of her little family.

Followed by three other boats, Josh's little boat scurried across the gloomy waters. Mosquitoes hummed, wings transporting them through the damp, heavy air. All mortals felt as if they were breathing in pea soup, submerged in translucent but horridly thick liquid. Despite the hostile conditions, though, none of them were concerned with food or drink. All of them were disgruntled by two things: Snake's absence and the world's overwhelming pain. How could that old man defend himself against Wesker, who was known to be mankind's most dangerous threat? How could Wesker be cruel enough to torment the old war hero? Why would he want to torment someone so warm, gentle and just downright inno-

"So," Chris said, slicing off his thoughts of Snake. He appeared to be casual, but was truly about to burst. He had to bring up a topic, or else his mind would return to Wesker's sex slave-and he'd explode. Couldn't have that. And Sheva was glancing at him. "How did you meet Sheva, Josh? I'd certainly like to hear of how you unfortunately ran into this horrible creature."

Josh, much to the rapture of Chris and his small band, was a gentle man of incredible brilliance. A part of Chris wished Josh had joined their troupe right from the very beginning. "We met in the days of old," he said, eyes locked on the road. "She became a sister to the BSAA. She became a sister of mine."

"I trained under him," the Alomar explained, looking like a child that had discovered a parade of Christmas presents. "He taught me everything I know!"

"Well then," Detective Hal said, scooting up his glasses. "I guess we have you to thank for Miss Alomar's prowess. I give you my deepest appreciation, Josh."

Sheva threw the otaku one of her seductive, enchanting smiles. It was half-way between a smile and a glare, akin to the look of a cheetah stalking its prey. "Why is that you continue to call me 'Miss Alomar, yet you're able to refer to him by his first name?"

Hal almost fell of the boat. "Well, I...um...I..."

Chris and Josh shared a moment of laughter, then Sheva's old friend brought up a question for the Redfield. "I see you're intent on locating the Messiah's future sacrifice," he said gently, knowing full well he was stepping onto fragile land mines. He had been unable to meet Snake, due to the late connection he had just formed with the Redfield's squadron. However, Chris's facial expressions and Sheva's anguished looks were enough to tell. The two officers were uncomfortable whenever the 'sacrifice' popped into a conversation-and Chris suffered from the most poisonous pain. "It is a man you know well, I assume?"

The smile on the Redfield's face vanished in an instant. He said nothing for an ephemeral time period, head bowed and heart immersed in unseen images. Sunny, peering into his face worriedly, tugged on his pant leg. That movement galvanized him back into action, endowing him with enough strength to provide an answer. "It is the man I love," he explained sadly, eyes filling with tears. Hal's eyes filled with tears not only because of his friend's words, but because of his tone as well. The Redfield would've been perfect in Shakespeare's time.

"I love him more than life itself, which is why I'm going to Hell to get him back."

Amazement broke out on the face of Sheva's friend. "Not too many people can hold onto such love," he said, then gave a whistle of admiration. Before he could make additional statements, Chris filled the air with greater anguish. "He doesn't know," he said, speaking to himself and those around him. Hal and Sheva exchanged worried glances, eyes glistening with profound affection for the Redfield.

"He doesn't know. Doesn't know a damn thing."

"He doesn't know how you feel?" Josh asked, frowning. He looked as if Chris was about to receive a major penalty, and would have if the Redfield didn't supply him with a positive answer. Chris sighed and gave an answer he didn't wish to give, but at least it eradicated an unborn lecture.

"I told him I love him. Must've told him a thousand times. The thing is, I didn't show him."

Sheva adopted the look of an annoyed wolf. "Chris-"

"I didn't put my words into action. I thought I did, but...I was only kidding myself. He knows I care for him, but he doesn't know the whole deal."

Hal nudged Josh in the rib, smiling and whispering in a cheeky, playful manner. "My friend dumped him for Wesker, and now he's off to prove he's truly worthy of holding my friend's hand."

"Stop saying that! You already know how shitty I feel over this!"

"Quiet down, Dingo," the Alomar snapped as birds took flight, frightened by Chris's volume. "Do you want to give our position away? For all we know, we could have a tea party waiting for us around the bend!"

Sunny giggled, hands over her mouth. Chris threw a stormy glare in Sheva's direction, which was no stronger than the glare of an indignant toddler. Sheva and Hal found it difficult to suppress laughter at his behavior. "I'm not in some contest with that freak," the Redfield snarled, hands balled into fists. "Things would be different if he actually deserved Snake, but he's a heartless son of a bitch that needs to be put down! I'm not leaving my butterfly in the hands of that fucking cockroach!"

"You know," Josh said, exchanging a broad smile with a proud Sheva. "He's louder at the subject of this missing Snake."

"I know," the Alomar said, beaming from ear to ear. "Isn't he the sweetest? I feel like I'm riding alongside Romeo of Shakespeare's play."

Sunny, amazed by a nearby dragonfly, spoke with a smile. "Dingo's nice," she said, and wouldn't have hesitated to say it a million times. "He's done a lot for us. I'm really glad we're all friends."

Chris winced, looking as if Sunny had shoved moldy oranges down his throat. He turned to Josh, but before he could oppose a single one of Sunny's syllables, Hal picked up the baton. Still working on the Mark II, he spoke on Chris's behalf with subterrenean warmth. "I don't know how he ended up in the BSAA," the otaku said, eyes clearly focused on his little project. His crystal-clear pronunciation of words amused Sheva to no end. "But I'm certainly glad he did. If he hadn't, I'd most certainly be lost. By all rights, I should be officially insane. My oldest friend is in the clutches of a psychopath!"

Chris had the face of a disgruntled child-one that had been picked on by too many bullies. Increasingly fond of his little group, Josh beamed at the hard-working otaku. "We have such vibrant stories aboard this tiny craft," he said cheerily, almost forming his words into song. "What about you and your daughter, now? What is your connection to this Snake?"

That question sent Hal into state of weighty, emotional reflection. Placing his hand upon his chin, he lowered his head and adopted the look of a scholar trying to unearth an ancient city's secrets. Sunny kept her twinkling eyes on him as he plunged into memories, worrying about a potential eruption of tears. Sheva and Chris exchanged a fretful glance as soon as Hal opened his mouth, wondering if their friend could endure a trip down Memory Lane. "To make a long story short," the otaku began, rubbing his chin. "He saved my life nine years ago. I was working underneath a corrupt organization, and needed to escape from not only my supervisors, but my assignment. If I hadn't been rescued, I'd most certainly be dead."

Sheva's face lit up at the words 'corrupt organization', but not with merriment. Her own memories surfaced in the waves of her heart, forming a strong connection to the one named Hal Emmerich. "From that point on, we've been inseperable," Hal continued, bearing the gentle voice of a pensive scholar. "He's been the light, and I've been the shadow. He'd say otherwise, but that's how I see it-and I feel that's the truth. I feel we were destined to meet. We share a strong, poignant bond that almost borders on the telepathic. I wish I could say we bore telepathic powers, for I'd definitely be using them now. Unfortunately, our parting words weren't too pleasant."

"Why?" Josh asked, clearly immersed in the tale. If he hadn't been piloting the rowboat, he'd be leaning closer to the Emmerich. "Did something go wrong between you two?"

Hal opened his mouth to respond, but Chris stole the baton. "My fault," he said, raising a hand into the silvery sky. Sheva threw him a glare that bordered on fatal. She looked as if she wished to snarl at the Redfield, then bite his head clean off. Did he have to take every opportunity to impale himself?

"I told him to hide something for me. He helped me out without question-but it came at the cost of his friendship to Snake. I wanted to play the part of the invincible, fearless bodyguard...but I see now how idiotic that was. Instead I came out as the untrustworthy, witless dumb-ass that keeps secrets."

"I'm the untrustworthy one," Hal put in, smiling sadly. He placed his beaming daughter into his lap, who proceeded to offer Josh her thermos. And she hadn't taken a single sip of the water. "As for Sunny, another friend of mine rescued her from certain death. Her mother was taken away from her, but Snake and I decided to take her in."

"Epyon was shy at first," the little maiden explained, as if they were all sitting inside of a classroom. "He pretended to be really grumpy and mean, but he was only kidding around. He was just being a big fraud!"

Josh gave her a glowing smile. "Oh really, now?"

"Uh huh. He said it was because we weren't supposed to be friends...or something. He said he was too dirty to be my friend. I told him that wasn't true and gave him a hug."

"Well now, you're awfully calm about all of this, little lamb."

The little lamb giggled, eyes aglow. "Oh, that's because I have you and Daddy and Nataku and-"

"She's given us all nicknames," Chris whispered, nudging Josh in the ribs. Once again, he repelled another chance to receive praise. "Blame her father for the nicknames. Just wait 'til she gives you one."

"Ooo, I know," Sunny exclaimed, acting as if she had just discovered a new planet. "I know! You can be 'Starwind'!"

Once again, Hal almost fell off the boat. A smiling Sheva placed a hand against her forehead, snickering. Josh frowned at the nickname, unfamiliar with its source but more than willing to accept it. "All right then, child," he said warmly, then turned to Chris. "What's your name?"

"Me?" Chris asked innocently, placing a hand upon his heart. "Why, I'm 'Dingo'. Nice to meet you, 'Starwind'."

With Sheva gazing into the open field of mortality, Josh and Chris continued a light conversation. Sunny observed the joking adults with a tremendously warm smile, while Hal kept his venturesome eyes on the silent Alomar. He knew she'd feel his gaze momentarily, but it was impossible to take his eyes off her. Why would he want to in the first place? He'd find it difficult even if she held a gun to his head. Now wouldn't that be kinky! Sheva holding a handgun to his head, asking him to strip-

Fantasies soon came to an end. All boats were quickly secured in the landing dock of Excella's target: the oil powerhouse. Before they even realized it, all officers had arrived at their assigned destination. They dislodged themselves from their small crafts and instantly exchanged orders, ensuring each other's safety. Josh assisted his friends in their departure from the boat, instantly concerned over the guests. "Don't tell me those two are following you," he said to the Alomar and Redfield, eyes awash in distress. "Why, neither one of them would last five minutes in the field! Certainly not the little girl!"

Hal winced, stung by an invincible flock of bees. "They're not coming with us," Chris explained, regaining the 'duteous, intrepid officer' persona. Sheva, meanwhile, checked the ammunition loads on her artillery. "They'll remain here and provide us with the support we'll need. They're already familiar with the routine."

A happy, optimistic Sunny unloaded the Chibi Mark, then sent it to Sheva's side. Once there, it launched into Stealth mode. A troubled, discontent Hal unloaded the Mark II and performed the same actions, sending his robot to Chris's side. Losing all previous traces of light merriment, Josh stared at the BSAA officers intently-while Hal made a return to their boat, with Sunny in his arms. "I want the two of you to be careful," the BSAA officer said, holding a finger to his lips to add emphasis. "The others and I will reconnect with you here, at the landing dock. Make sure you are able to gain as much information as you can-without having yourselves killed!"

"You should know me by now, Starwind," Sheva said mischievously, giving her friend a roguish wink. "Chris should've been the only one to get that lecture. And make sure you follow your own orders!"

Leaving behind an annoyed otaku and his hopeful daughter, the Redfield and Alomar dove onto the lands of the powerhouse. Josh and the remaining crew members took another direction, perhaps heading into more secretive territory. Chris and Sheva were always thrown at the forefront of things, while other officers dug underneath the surface. Guns at the ready, the silent BSAA officers made their first steps onto new ground. Their eyes were the eyes of eagles-vigiliant and daunting. Their hearts were on the ones they loved-Snake included. Sheva shook off her tendency to stare at Chris in favor of his safety, securing her partner's back. Neither of them spoke as they trudged through a sea of pipes, oil clouds and flame, hunting for anything that would lead to a significant discovery. A few minutes passed before the Mark II spoke, bearing an oddly low spirit.

"Area's clear. I can't detect any sign of a single Deus victim at this time."

Sheva frowned at Hal's tone. "Thanks, Otacon," the Redfield said with a smile. "Just keep your eyes peeled. There's no telling when or where they'll pop out at us."

"There are a few switches that require attention," the otaku went on, probably straightening his glasses as he spoke. "By de-activating them, I'll turn off the area's flamethrowers-and give you two greater access to other areas. Chibi will be more than happy to direct you from this point, but I'll be sure to provide you with updates on situations as they develop."

"Aren't we drop-dead gorgeous?" the Alomar asked instantly, glowing with adoration. Chris threw her a warm look of astonishment, then grinned at Hal's reactions. As the otaku expressed his disbelief, the Mark II jumped about. It was an adorable sight to behold. "Why didn't you just become a lawyer, or something of the sort? You've got quite the mouth on you, you gorgeous piece of meat!"

The Mark II's owner sputtered for a few seconds, then sent his device speeding off into the west. Still grinning, Chris gave Sheva a look of heavy appreciation. Pretending to be completely oblivious to the source of his gratitude, the Alomar shrugged.

"What? All he had to say was: I've got something to do, so I'm giving the reigns to Chibi. Be back in a few!"

Despite her enjoyment of the latest conversation, Sunny had something to report in a grim voice. "You guys," she began, as Chibi hopped up and down. "Someone's here, and I'm not talking about another member of the team. I'm not picking up the waves of a BSAA transmitter."

The Redfield's heart leapt straight out of its chest, but then it sank like a rock. There was no way it could be Snake. No way in Hell. Wesker wouldn't allow him to-

"Perhaps its Excella," Sheva suggested darkly, turning to her distressed partner. "Or it could be-"

"If its Liquid I'm tearing the shit out of him," Chris snarled through gritted teeth. "Then I'll have him tell me where his brother is. If he doesn't answer I'll tear his eyes out!"

"No wonder you had to quit the Air Force," the Alomar said warmly, rolling her eyes. "You've got a great deal of our own officers frightened. I can just imagine the way you treated your first force."

"Dingo," a frantic Sunny said, eyes locked on the wrathful Redfield. Chris's anger had risen to such a strong level, he was trembling from its power. "I'm picking up bits and pieces of a conversation. You've got two friends waiting for you in some conference room. One's a guy and the other's a woman. She could be the Excella you're looking for!"

Chris exchanged a firm glance with Sheva. "There's more to this than we thought," the Redfield said, scratching at his chin. "Apparently, we've been missing a few pieces of the puzzle. Liquid and Wesker aren't acting alone. And if you think about it, there's no way those two could distribute the virus on a world-wide scale. Of course they'd have to recruit some helpers."

"So Excella and her friend may be planning another project," Sheva put in, the intensity of her voice rising with every word. "They may be planning to work against our team, or maybe they're toying with the-"

An explosion seized their attention. Several areas of the powerhouse burst into flame, filling the air with morbid stenches of oil and filth. At first Sheva and Chris believed one of their friends kicked an accident into high gear, but that belief died as soon as parades greeted them. As though they were cockroaches, lifeless beasts emerged from every nook and cranny of the vicinity. Alomar and Redfield were surrounded in seconds, engulfed in a world that knew only oil, flame and bloodthirsty beasts. Many of those beasts saw fit to launch flaming arrows, while some threw flaming missles at their prey.

Evading every projectile, the two officers retaliated. Chris covered Sheva as bullets took flight, fired against insects that were pouring out of the walls. Machine guns were the preferred weapons, and once one officer ran out of proper ammunition, the other officer spared some. The Redfield battled tooth and nail to secure Sheva's life, while her vigilant eyes ensured Chris's safety. After knocking one of Chris's pursuers off with her signature Roundhouse, the Alomar let out a groan.

"We aren't getting anywhere! There's no end to these creeps!"

"Must be from Excella's party," Chris grunted, snapping the neck of a beast that wished to assault Sheva. Into another's face went his fists, making contact with rotten flesh as a bag of bricks would slam into an infant. "Otacon's still out there! Find him-and hurry!"

The roars of bloodthirsty demons slithered into the air, dank with slime. The stench of oil continued to stain the air-flames roared-Sheva stared at Chris, eyes widened-

_"SHEVA! I'LL COVER YOU! NOW HURRY!"_

With the reluctance of an ever-faithful canine, Sheva took flight-and threw a final glance at her courageous partner. As a fleeting dove she vanished, using her PDA to track down the missing Mark II. The Chibi Mark followed suit, able to keep herself concealed from the view of Hellspawn. Once the two maidens dropped from Chris's sight, the Redfield's vision was overwhelmed by a slew of foaming vampires. Growling, the monsters threatened to drink their mortal prey dry. Fire surged through Chris's body as he battered, bashed and cast off bodies, unwilling to sink. Meanwhile, a dove and her small friend continued to fly. In desperate search of a beloved otaku, they scoured the area with rapidly beating hearts. Chris's battle cries stabbed Sheva's ears as she sought out the elder Mark II, hoping to find Otacon in one piece-and soon.

Time could not be measured. Her feet took on lives of their own, pushing her through uninhabited areas. Even if she had the desire to rest, the wish wouldn't have been granted. Her feet were running from unseen demons, and were propelled by flame. They kicked down a door that hindered progress, then drew her into an area that provided a wild, almost drug-like surge of relief. She smiled as her eyes embraced the Mark II, ecstatic about finding Otacon in one piece, but then-

"Oh my goodness--! _**MISS ALOMAR, LOOK OUT!"**_

By the hair on her neck, Sheva was able to dodge death by chainsaw. Into her arms went the Mark II, whose owner was beyond frantic at the moment. The lithe, agile swan dodged additional attacks from her newfound friend, a chainsaw-wielding behemoth. The mammoth beast was more than excited about snuffing out his prey, chasing her with the vibrant speed of a cheetah. Out of fear, she could only run around in circles-but then she recovered a bit of her eyesight, and cast herself downstairs. Still carrying a paranoid Otacon, and followed by the loyal Chibi, she ran-the chainsaw beast ran after her, revving up his weapon-and-

Sheva ran herself right into a corner.

Hal's face lost every last bit of color._ "Oh God, NO!"_

With the wide, babyish eyes of a doe, the Alomar stared at her assailant. The chainsaw buzzed above her head-she tightened her grip on the Mark II-

**_"MOVE, SHEVA! PLEASE!"_**

_No no NO! Please don't! Not my Sheva! Not Sheva! I've already lost so much! Please not my Sheva!_

_Run! Please run!_

She shut her eyes-Hal shut his eyes and gritted his teeth-he'd have to watch her die, just as he had to watch Emma die-just as he had to suffer throug Sniper Wolf's death-

The chainsaw was lowered-

**_"SHEVAAAA!"_**

Eyes flew open-

Hands grabbed the behemoth by the shoulders-

-and a foot delivered a kick to the beast's crotch.

"So," the Alomar said breathlessly, peering into the Mark II's monitor. She fled from her little box, which had been meant for her death, and left behind a roaring demon. "You're finally calling me by my first name! Took you long enough, HAL!"

A sobbing, sniffing Hal passed a warm smile to her. The loving smile was returned, but happiness vanished as soon as it arrived. Hearts leapt off cliffs once reality settled in, frightening all present mortals. The oil powerhouse had become strangely silent, as though it were the last place on Earth-and only four beings inhabited it. Sheva gently placed Otacon on the ground, bewildered by the drastic change in environment. She didn't notice it, but her would-be killer busied himself by cowering in a corner. Something had shaken his black spirit, and it wasn't the kick to his groin. Something horrific had arrived. But what?

The Mark II began to shiver, quickly scanning the vicinity. All beasts had been obliterated, transformed into piles of dust. Chris was standing at the top of a tower, staring at something-someone-

A gasp rose from the mouths of Hal, Sheva and Sunny. All three of their hearts came to a violent stop, screeching on the road to painful eruption. Taken aback by the ferocity of her own heart's actions, Sheva clasped her hands to her chest. She took several steps back, unable to believe her own eyes. Chris wasn't just looking at 'someone'. He was looking at a painfully familiar old man. The man was covered in bruises and bloody gashes, gazing at the Redfield with dilated eyes. Completely naked, he stared and said absolutely nothing. Chris, jaw wide open, stared and stared-

Sheva cupped her hands to her mouth. _"CHRIS! CHRIS, GET DOWN FROM THERE!"_

Chris stepped forward, hands outstretched, eyes ablaze with tears. The old man continued to stare, eyes cold and lifeless-body bloodied and broken-

Chibi Mark leapt out of Stealth mode. "DINGO! SOMETHING'S WRONG-REALLY WRONG! GET D-"

A second later, Chris Redfield was blown ten yards into the air. Sheva dashed onto the tower Chris once inhabited, bracing herself to face Chris's opponent, who was none other than-

The Mark II stepped forward, arms flailing. _"I don't believe it! That can't be! It can't be Snake!"_

Sheva came to a halt once she was several inches away from Chris's assailant. Awaiting the old male's next move, she stared him down with inquisitive, doubtful eyes. Chris, after having himself slammed against a wall, rose to his feet. He shook off maddening, nauseating waves of dizziness-the old man lifted his hand once more, prepared to deliver another surge of energy-Sheva continued to stare him down-

"Epyon?"

The bloody form staggered forward, hands about his head. Chris, in a hot rush, returned to the tower-and placed himself at Sheva's side. Chibi and the Mark II joined them in a flash, arms flapping and systems whirring. Sheva gazed at the dizzy, broken forn with the eyes of saddened wolf, observing the last breaths of her sickly cub. Chris stood with his arms raised, face strained by the most vicious pain-

"Dave," the Mark II said quietly, slowly making its way closer to the old mortal. The voice behind the robot shook, riding on a tearful road. Sadness rattled his heart mercilessly. Sheva stepped forward-Chris held her back-

"Dave, its...its me. Hal. We're...we're here. We're here, Dave. We're here!"

Hearts awaited the future with bated breath. Chris gripped Sheva's hands, suppressing an intolerable urge to embrace his lover. Sheva gave him a frantic look-Sunny clasped her hands over her mouth-the old man stared at the Mark II-

"Dave...its all right. Its okay now! We're here to save you! You're all right now! You're back with friends-with those that love you!"

Bodies were about to explode from lack of oxygen, but breathing was not an option. Sheva gripped Chris's hands-Chris stared at the old one, eyes widened in pain-eyes widened in fear-the Mark II was soon lifted into the old man's hands-

"H-H-H...H-H-Hal."

"That's right," Hal sobbed, reaching out with the arms of the Mark II. "That's right, Dave. Its me. I'm here. Right here. Just like I've always been. I'm here, my friend. I'm here..."

The rest of the otaku's words were dragged underneath a sea of sobs. The old one stared at the Mark II curiously, as though he couldn't put his fingers on a memory-but then-

Sheva wrenched herself out of Chris's grasp with a gasp. The Mark II had been dropped onto the ground-the old man clasped his hands onto the sides of head, moaning-Chris stepped forward, face ablaze with anguish-

"Butterfly..."

The Redfield stepped forward-the old man's eyes widened, giving himself the look of a horrified deer-

"Ch...Ch-Ch-Chris...?"

Chris's heart leapt. He stepped closer, face glowing with hope-

"G-g-get a-a-away..."

Sheva, brokenhearted, swept the Mark II into her arms. "What?"

"Get away...**_GET AWAY!"_**

Chris leapt out at the old form, tears streaming. A bloodcurling cry pierced the air, filling all of mortal civilization with overpowering sadness. A sobbing Redfield ran towards the old mortal-energy waves were erupting from the old one's spasmodic body-

A scream ripped itself from the Redfield's throat, raw and unbroken. He slammed into the wall-Sheva screamed-several other thuds were heard-

Dizziness clouded his vision. Once dark, dank clouds vanished from sight, he could see Sheva making a slow ascent to her feet. She proceeded to straighten both Marks, evidently still shaken by the brutal energy blow. The Marks whirred into awakening-he turned to face their Epyon, and-

Felt the strongest, darkest wave of anger pierce him.

_"WESKER! WESKER, GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF HIM! NOW, YOU SICK FUCK!"_

The Redfield balled his hands into such tight fists, his fingers drew blood from his own palms. His teeth were gritted with the same ferocity. Anger pierced him, swept through him, consumed him-

Right along with unfathomable, never-ending grief.

Sheva dashed to Chris's side and raised her handgun, but was hesitant to pull the trigger. Although she aimed it at Albert Wesker, Epyon could easily be used as a shield-

He was in the sick fuck's arms, wrapped up in blood and tears. Albert was cradling him as though he truly cared for him, purring and stroking his shivering, naked body. His fingers brushed against the old one's bloodied skin, fondling everything they touched-Chris lifted his machine gun-

_"HANDS OFF, NOW! NOW OR I'LL BLOW YOUR FUCKING BRAINS OUT, WESKER!"_

"Why?" the Devil Incarnate asked innocently, running his hands alongside the canary's thighs. "He likes it. I feel so much better than you, you know. I'm giving him everything he needs. Why, I screw him on a regular basis. Of course it isn't any fun, because he's a broken-down piece of shit-"

A lion's roar broke out of the Redfield's throat. He leapt out at Wesker, Sheva cried out his name, and-

-he soon found himself slamming into another wall, thrown away by none other than-

"What do you think you're doing, you horrible bastard?!" the Alomar cried out, tears racing from her eyes. Wesker, amused by her very existence, gave her an answer that sparkled with everlasting pride. He was on the brink of uproarious, rapturous laughter-and he was still holding her Epyon. Her bloodied, shivering, whimpering Epyon.

"Why, I'm merely spending time with the one I love! It's taking a bit longer than expected, but I'm winning him over."

"Hypnosis, is it?!" Sheva snarled, tightening her grip on her gun. "Well, it doesn't seem to be working too well! I don't think your brain manipulation's going to work at all! You can't erase a heart that pure!"

"Is that what you think? Is that what you think?" an overjoyed Wesker shouted, showing his rapture to the heavens above. The Mark II and Chibi Mark rushed to Chris's side-Sheva stepped closer to Wesker and his little bird-Wesker ran his hands closer to the canary's 'pickle'-

"Well, my dear African princess, I'm about to prove you wrong. Watch and see what I can do."

Life was just too painful. Sheva's eyes widened. Chris rose to his feet, and all of them saw-

Wesker draw his canary into a tight, searing kiss.

Hands clamped down on the old man's buttocks, Wesker held his prey in an unbreakable embrace. The old one shivered, melting-whimpering, sobbing-a tongue shot down his quivering throat-

**_"WESKER! I'LL KILL YOU, YOU SON OF A BITCH! LET HIM GO!"_**

Sheva's hold on her handgun slackened, and her wrath simmered into sorrowful disbelief. She watched as Wesker ate his canary alive, kissing him-sucking the life out of him-

Chris rushed forward, tears scorching his face-

**_"WESKEEEER!"_**

A painfully bright flash of light struck all eyes. It disappeared as quickly as it arrived, revealing a sight that smashed Chris's heart in a million pieces. Sheva, no longer Sheva Alomar but a horrified blob of flesh, dropped her handgun. The Mark II and Chibi Mark stiffened, their owners frozen.

Their beloved Epyon-their beloved Snake-had his arms wrapped around Wesker's neck. His eyes, burdened with a million tears, begged for love. Begged for relief. Begged for comfort. Wesker, in return, petted him as a child would pet a cat. "There there, love," the cat purred, hands running alongside the bird's back. "Its all right now. I'll heal you of your wounds. I'll cleanse you."

"P-p-please...please don't let me go..." the bird sobbed, burying his head in Wesker's chest. "I'm...I'm c-c-cold..."

"Do not cry any more, beloved," Wesker said soothingly, erasing tears from the old one's face. "I'll care for you. I'll heal you, you ugly duckling, and hide your devastatingly horrid face from the world. I'll love you like no other."

"Wesker," the Mark II wept, slowly making its way forward. "W-W-Wesker, p-p-please...please don't do this..."

Sheva, ponytail completely undone, was completely frozen. It was like learning of her parents' deaths all over again. It was like being inside of prison again-all over again. She was helpless, completely helpless-unable to move or even breathe-

"Don't fear," Wesker said merrily, smiling at the weeping Mark II. Meanwhile, his canary was snuggling against his chest. "I'll treat him nicely. We'll have one Hell of a time-although I wish he were younger. As an old ragdoll, he isn't much fun to plow into."

A second passed before Albert Wesker vanished into thin air, holding Old Snake deep within his arms. Sheva Alomar was still frozen, hands still in gun position. Chibi was silent, the Mark II was still weeping, and-

Chris Redfield was peering into the heavens, heart asking a single question: why must I always lose the ones I care for?

The small squad's spirit had been completely broken.

* * *

This was composed to 'Access the Animus' by Jesper Kyd. The end of that song compliments the end of this chapter perfectly. XD By the way, the chapter was originally going to end with Sheva's chainsaw incident. I decided to add a lot more to this wonderfully fun chappie. I WARNED YOU ABOUT SNAKE, DIDN'T I?! I TOLD ALL OF YOU! I WARNED YOU ABOUT SNAKE'S WONDERFUL FUTURE WITH WESKER, BWEE HEE!

The Sheva/Hal chainsaw moment was done in Hal's favor, as Sheva is constantly occupied with her partner. As for Sheva, I loved your reactions to the last chapter. The Alomar is an immensely beautiful character, as is her partner. I adore both Chris and Sheva! Keep your eyes peeled for more of Sheva's unwavering brilliance and beauty. XD

By the way, Josh's nickname came from 'Gene Starwind' of the Outlaw Star anime.

One last note. Play, play, play Resident Evil 5. That's all I have to say. XD I love you all!


	5. Chapter 5

They were all in a nightmare, and none of them could open their eyes. They would've given their lives to dispel the nightmare, pushing against their shackles with ferocious strength, but reality was staring them straight in the eyes. As a devilish beast, it intercepted their attempts at freedom by jumping straight in their path. Like children desperate to escape from the Boogeyman, they tried to shake off recent events-but the beast called 'reality' wouldn't have it. He poked and prodded them, reminding them of their binds with a harsh smile. There was no escape from the cage of Hell.

Their bodies had been slapped into silence, stunned by overwhelming emotion. Disbelief was the brightest flame, burning as a torch deep within their souls. It was closely followed by the torch of grief, and both were upheld by two unseen devils. Bearing attributes of the Deus victims they were so familiar with, Chris Redfield and his eternally loyal friends continued their original assignment. They staggered along their path, as if they had been struck in the head far too many times to count. And as they trudged on, walking underneath the darkest skies imaginable, the lack of water struck them. They were dehydrated in more ways than one, walking on twigs that previously belonged to humans. The Redfield and his companions were no longer human but mere blobs, trembling collections of flesh and blood.

Hal Emmerich and his daughter, Sunny, provided guidance with the enthusiasm of robots. Neither of them wished to accept anything that had just happened, and couldn't blame Chris for his behavior. While Sheva observed him with the apprehension of an unsettled canine, he moved about with the energy of a broken-down toy. His communication to other officers was on-point, bearing the usual qualities of firm valor and vigiliance, but that was the highlight of his condition. Of course he still had the ability to play the part of 'invincible, duteous BSAA officer', but his heart was being dragged through the mud. Perhaps the others would detect a problem through his energy. He was able to play everything by the book, but wasn't the least bit enthusiastic about his responsibilities. He felt as if he had been slapped in the face by-

No one knew how much time elapsed, but two officers eventually discovered Excella-and a disfigured Ricardo Irving. Situated inside of a conference room, they appeared to be locked in a deathly struggle. Irving, a represntative of the Tricell company, was certainly fighting for his life. He might not have been willing to admit it, but he didn't wish to die. Chris was more than willing to beat the shit out of him, and even delivered a few kicks to his face-but Sheva brought an end to the pummeling. The Irving, although on his last breaths, was able to provide valuable information. The Alomar held her friend down as Ricardo spoke, voice bubbling out of his bloody throat.

_"Heh heh heh! You're hellbent on getting your lover back, but you're out of luck! Wesker's gonna pin him down, and pin him down good!"_

_"They're gonna rule a new world-you'll see! They'll live happily ever after, and you won't be around to see it!"_

_"Tell me, you son of a bitch! What exactly is that prick going to do with Snake?!"_

_"Heh heh...wouldn't you like to see?! Just keep your eyes peeled, Chris! Live long enough, and I'm sure you'll get a real kick out the new world order!"_

Then, the mutilated Ricardo Irving passed into his next realm. He died in the body of a bloody, demonic beast, believing he'd achieve the most glorious state of immortality by tossing off humanity. Horrified, Sheva realized he intentionally injected himself with the Deus virus. The body of a human male just wasn't good enough for him, so he decided to play with fire. Unfortunately, the fire was just too hot for him to handle. And Excella didn't show the slightest bit of grief, let alone concern.

_"Well well well. Looks like Liquid lost one of his friends. Too baddy-wad."_

_"Irving worked alongside Liquid Ocelot?"_

_"I'm afraid he did, sweet pea. You see, Liquid's trying to build a party list. He wants a crowd to witness the arrival of this 'new world', so he's making a few rounds. Of course he's working with the virus, mind you. Can't have a party with a stream of dead-beets."_

With additional horror, Sheva shared his latest discovery with the others. Wesker was busy toying with Snake, and Liquid was throwing around party favors! Then there was all the business about 'the new world order', and Wesker's secretive aspirations-just what exactly was going on? Where was Liquid? Would he tolerate Wesker's attention towards Snake much longer? And was Snake really g-

Chris attempted to gun Excella down (without giving any regard to his limited ammunition, or Sheva's lack of ammo), but to no avail. The two Marks recorded every last one of her words, capturing her messages before she departed. Her intimate connection to Albert Wesker was unearthed, sending shudders through the spines of Snake's calvary. A horrid image of sexual violation drove itself into the Redfield's mind viciously, piercing the pit of his stomach as a burning stake. She then proceeded to declare Wesker's invincibility, announcing that he would soon rule with 'the chosen ones'. It didn't take any of them long to realize who 'the chosen ones' would be.

* * *

With Excella's departure came the time of reunification. The time to reconnect with the other BSAA officers had come, and it would hopefully provided much-needed relaxation. The hope for peaceful restoration was dashed when Chris could only contact a single officer, who happened to be Josh. In a last-minute attempt at survival, Josh and two other officers dashed towards Drebin-their last chance at survival. Unfortunately, Josh's two companions were cut down right before Drebin could gun the beasts down. Deus victims were euphoric over the mere thought of blood, and didn't waste any time in savoring the blood of new victims. The small troupe had been investigating the oil powerhouse for additional information, and their investigation literally cut short.

Drebin, upon Sheva's instructions, swept Hal and Sunny off hostile grounds. He then connected with Sheva and Chris, urging them to meet with him at a designated area. Still on 'auto pilot' mode, the pair found Drebin's land vehicle. Into the tank they were pulled, finally able to rest-but far beyond devastated. Hal and Sunny's faces provided strong relief and euphoria, but only for a few seconds. The drug-like surges of joy vanished in an instant. Sadness erupted in the place of glee, overwhelming and venomous. Hal looked like a child that had lost his puppy, all of Sunny's dreams had been dashed to dust, Sheva felt as if her heart had literally been torn out, and Chris didn't know how to react. Didn't know how to react, blink, move, think or talk. There was too much to reflect on. So many lives had been lost, and he had been unable to protect any of them. He had been unable to protect Sn-

No one spoke, save for the antsy Little Grey. Drebin piloted his vehicle away from dangerous lands, taking them further away from the place that had caused them so much grief. Josh had driven his four friends to solid ground, allowing Drebin to make his moves. He had gone on land to rescue Josh and his two friends, placing himself in grave danger. The weapons launderer made astounding moves for those he hardly knew, but wished to befriend. He was never one to sink into despair, but was affected by the behavior of his future friends. He threw glances at them as he drove, intent on examining their actions. Little Grey fidgeted with his tail anxiously, watching the group as ping pong balls. Chris was the first to break the silence, but his first words weren't 'let's have a tea party'. They were actually:

"Starwind, I want you to pull out."

Josh gasped as if he had been abruptly stabbed, completely horrified. "Surely you're joking!"

"Not really," the Redfield said darkly, the venom in his voice rising to a boil. The urge to break down became stronger with every breath he took. "I want you to get out of here! Return to headquarters and tell them-"

Alarming Sunny, Sheva's lifelong friend shot out of his seat. "I'm not abandoning friends! You've got to be crazy! I'd rather drown in poison than abandon the ones I care for!"

Chris bit down on his lip-hard. The entire nation would die for their friends, their families! The patriarch and his children were willing to die peacefully, as long as they were able to hold onto love! All of Africa's people would die for their loved ones, their honor--!

"That's great and all, but I'm not willing to have your death sit on my conscience! I care for you far too much to just sit here and let you die!"

The Redfield rose from his seat, hands balled into tight fists. An uneasy Hal gathered an equally fretful Sunny into his arms, holding her close. Little Grey scampered into Sheva's lap, attaching himself to her chest. The two officers were now head-to-head, staring each other down. "I'm not leaving," Josh said adamantly, eyes growling at the opposing Redfield. "Say whatever you want! I'm staying with all of you, and that's final!"

Chris looked as if he wished to punch the daylights out of Josh. His voice was almost shrill from the intense anger it wielded. "Are you out of your mind?! Aren't you aware of how many lives have been lost?! The entire African branch of the BSAA has been decimated! It has two pieces left, and I'm sitting with them!"

Sunny's 'Starwind' shook his head, disgusted by the Redfield's latest words. "If you think I'm going to turn my back on fallen brothers, you're wrong," he said after a moment of silence, suddenly exhausted. He took a deep breath, then returned to his seat. Little Grey and Sheva exchanged a frantic glance, wondering about the next moves of the combatants.

"I'm no coward, Chris. The only way I'll leave is through death."

Sheva knew she was stepping into dangerous territory, but took her steps anyway. "If you had your way, you'd go the rest of the way alone," she said bitterly, weary eyes snapping at the Redfield. Chris instantly turned on her, assuming she had jumped to Josh's defense without considering his feelings. "Don't go there, Sheva," he ordered, face tightened from wrath. "You think I'm enjoying any of this?! You think I want to see all of you suffer?!"

"And what makes you invincible?" the Alomar asked, anger blazing through his voice. Up from her place she rose, facing the much bulkier Chris. "What makes you think you'll fly through all of this unscathed?"

"I don't want to see anyone else suffer, damn it," Chris shot back. At that point, he no longer knew if he had the ability to form comprehensive sentences. Fury had complete control over his body. "I don't want to see you, or Hal, or Josh, or anyone else suffer! And certainly not from my inability to do anything! I want to make sure Wesker's wiped off the face of the Earth, and I'll die if I have to!"

"What about Snake? What about him? Would you leave him alone? Are you only concerned with your vendetta towards Wesker?!"

Right then and there, Chris adopted the look of a mortally wounded puppy. Through his eyes soared tearful statements: _why is everyone being so mean to me? I only want the best!_ Not another word fell from his mouth, but those words echoed through his reddened, water-logged eyes. Sheva looked as if she wished to embrace Chris and smother him in tears, regretting her usage of a trump card. Hal, hovering between sadness and bitter frustration, took the opportunity to speak next. "I don't believe Snake's concerned with Chris any more," the otaku stated, burying his eyes into the Mark II's monitor. He might sounded angry, but he was seconds away from bursting in sobs.

"He's too busy frolicking through flowery fields with his new boyfriend."

"What do you mean?" Josh asked, turning to Hal in an instant. He had the sweet magic of a child about his voice, able to send crystal-clear confusion into a wide world. "What are you talking about? Did you see Snake?"

Hal turned to him, looking as if he had eaten a pound of sour frogs. "Oh, we saw him all right," he replied, eyes shining with exhaustion and tears. "And like idiots, we actually believed we had him back."

"Wesker's taken control over him," the svelte Sheva explained, bearing the grievous eyes of a fawn. "Snake now bears some of Wesker's powers, but that's not all. He has brainwashed Snake into believing they're lovers!"

Little Grey let out a frenzied shriek, scampering onto Sheva's shoulders. The Alomar felt a boulder crush the remnants of her spirit, eyes focused on the silent Chris. The Redfield had his head bowed, and wasn't breathing a single syllable. Chris had launched into time bomb mode again, but he was even more fragile than ever. With a single poke he'd surely explode. "We don't know how to break the spell," she explained sadly, admitting that to herself and her company. "We can hardly comprehend how Wesker was even able to manipulate him. But it's happening...even as we speak."

"One thing's for certain, though," the Redfield put in, lifting his head. Anger had simmered into exhaustion, and made way for sadness. As she spoke, Sheva and Hal stared at him intently. "That dirty creep plans on keeping him around for a while. Apparently, they're meant to create some 'new world' together."

Hal, as he always did in times of deep thought, straightened his glasses. "About that...Excella and Irving hinted at some sort of new race-'the chosen ones'. The Deus victims are celebrating their Messiah and his sacrifice. Liquid's trying to find party guests, so they can usher in their 'new world' together. The Deus victims aren't anything but party-goers and minions in the grand scheme of things. I do believe Wesker's going to use Snake's body for projects other than filth-ridden sex acts."

The otaku's face darkened. _And I should know. I'm all too familiar with heartless, greedy beasts pursuing Snake for his genes._

Sheva peered into the Emmerich's face, urgently seeking information. "I remember the story he shared with us," she said softly, mind returning to a particularly calm night. "Epyon told us he had been...created in some sort of laboratory. He was created from another soldier's genes!"

"Yeah," Chris put in, folding his arms. "Just like Liquid."

"Wait a minute," Sheva said in alarm, eyes widening. "If Liquid and Epyon were created in the same manner, why isn't Wesker interested in Liquid's genes? Why aren't they going to create their 'chosen ones' with Liquid's body?!"

Hal straightened his glasses once again, executing a deep sigh. "That's easy. Liquid believes himself to be inferior to Snake, but that's not all. I'm afraid they're using the 'bully' concept in all of this. To them, Snake's a lamb-and they're wolves. That's that."

"Oh--! That's just-disgusting! I don't believe this! That man is forcing Epyon to believe complete and utter garbage, just so he can bring about his 'new world order'!"

"That's why I want him dead, at any cost," Chris said wearily, bringing up the latest battle he waged against Sheva. Love had tired out his body and soul, leaving him with the energy of a one-legged ant. "He thinks he can get away with using Snake, but I'm not going to let that happen. The Devil himself will have to kill me before I back down."

"That's how we all feel," Hal said, heart overflowing with sorrowful affection. "There's no way we'd leave you alone, and we're not going to turn our backs on Snake. We love the both of you far too much to leave, regardless of the danger! And don't you even think of telling me to shut my trap, because I stood by Snake in many other challenges! I've been friends with him for nine years, and our friendship hasn't exactly been a Broadway musical!"

Chris couldn't suppress chuckles at the otaku's words. Hal was just too adorable when he became indignant or annoyed. He couldn't scare anyone if his life depended on it, the poor thing. Sunny, meanwhile, was busy playing with Little Grey's tail. "We certainly don't want you to die," the Alomar said lovingly, gazing into Chris's face. "We want you to come out of this alive. We want you to live a happy life with Epyon. We wouldn't be able to forgive ourselves if you lost your life, and Snake survived all of this. How do you think Snake would feel?"

Smiling, the Redfield released a sigh. Sitting back in his seat, he shut his eyes. "So," he began, arms folded behind his head. "This means you're all going with me, to the very end. Right?"

"Why wouldn't we?" Josh asked, genuinely confused and irritated.

"None of you are going to sacrifice yourselves for anything, right? We're all getting out of this, aren't we?"

"Of course we are, Dingo! We're all going home!"

"You can count on me, partner!"

"If there's a chance for me to see tomorrow, I will take it. And I will greet the future with you, Mr. Chris Redfield."

Out of the small group, the only one that didn't provide an answer was Hal. A part of him wished to follow the others, but he had a response of his own to give. Noticing the absence of Hal's response, Chris opened his eyes with a playful glare-looking very much like an angry tiger. If there had been a low rumble coming from the Redfield's stomach, none of them would have been surprised.

"All right. Out with it, Hal. What is it?"

"Well..." the Emmerich said sheepishly, fumbling with the Mark II's control panel. "I'm just not comfortable with my role anymore! It's a little unnerving, to say the least!"

Sheva gave Hal the smile of an enchanted, rapturous vixen. "Yo," the driver of their tank said, speaking for the very first time. "I think your Hal wants to join the frontlines."

Josh, eyes widened in disbelief, turned to the otaku. "You? You wish to wield a firearm? Are you serious?"

Hal was instantly on the defense. "Why? What's wrong with me?! I can hold my own! As I stated before, I've been with Snake for years on end-so I was able to learn a few things! And I've been around all of you!"

"You've got to be joking," Sheva's friend said, shaking his head. Sheva and Chris shared the warmest of smiles with each other, glowing with pride and love. "You wouldn't last three minutes out there on the field! You'd be just another rookie, scampering around like a headless bunny rabbit!"

"How dare you! I'd be all right! Chris and Sheva wouldn't mind teaching me a few things!"

"From the looks of things, Chris is much too busy being an idiot," Josh put in, folding his arms. "Judging by the way he spoke about things a few moments ago, I can safely assume he doesn't have any hope. He believes his lover has flown into Wesker's arms for eternity! Am I right?"

Chris's silence was all Josh needed. Looking very much like an old-fashioned schoolteacher, the BSAA officer wrinkled his nose. "I don't believe this," he cried out, both exhausted and annoyed beyond comprehension. "He feels that his lover will forever remain in Albert Wesker's company! It's as if all of their memories, all of their days and nights, have come down to nothing! All of the time they spent together has gone completely down the drain! I do believe the Redfield has gone insane, because love cannot be eradicated so easily-and I'm not speaking on Wesker's brand of love! I'm speaking on the true kind! The true, unbelievably beautiful breed of love! No one, mortal or deity, can erase something so pure and vivacious! And I cannot believe his lack of faith in Snake. I'm surrounded by idiots!"

A blushing, sheepish Chris accepted all of Josh's words with silent yet immortal appreciation. The statement about Snake and faith was the strongest brick of all to his psyche, putting the icing on valor's cake. Sheva's friend managed to kick his gears back into action. 'You're right,' the Redfield's face said, beaming. 'You're right about everything. Thanks, Starwind.'

Josh, however, was in no mood for profound gratitude. "Oh my goodness. I'm going to take a nap. Stupidity is an epidemic around here. Sis, would either you or Drebin mind telling me where we're going again? Since you two are the only ones with functional brains, I can rely on you. I can also rely on the child, but she has far too much to deal with already."

"We're heading to the Diablo Mines," Sheva put in, her beautiful voice taking on the qualities of a sweet melody. "Irving mentioned something about an operation that's underway. If we're lucky, we'll find out more about this 'new world'-and perhaps find a way to stop all of this from coming about. I'd like to at least run into Liquid, so I could grind his ass into asphalt."

The smile on her face, her undone ponytail and her last words created a fantasy like no other. Like a ravenous hyena Hal gazed at her, practically drooling. Wouldn't he like her to grind his ass into asphalt? And her hair. Her hair, no longer restrained by a makeshift ribbon, was indescribably beautiful. He'd die for the chance to feel even a strand of it. She definitely had the most beautiful legs, the most glorious physique-

"Hey," Chris cried out, leaping up from his seat-and lunging out at Little Grey, who was holding onto something. Compared to the behemoth Redfield, Little Grey was no stronger than an ant-and was uncomfortable with his newfound position. "What in the hell is that?!" the officer demanded, cornering the frantic little monkey.

"Oh, that?" Drebin said casually, tossing him a proud grin. "Nothing much. Just a little something we like to call 'Heaven on Earth'."

As soon as Chris and Josh lunged out at Little Grey, demanding their fair share of Heaven, Drebin waved a hand. "Stop being so uptight," the launderer said, always the calm and cool one. "We've got plenty more in the chest!"

"What?!" Starwind and Dingo screamed simultaneously, only inches away from the whimpering monkey. Sheva and Sunny exchanged a tender smile, happy with the current environment. "They don't even know what 'Heaven' is," the Alomar whispered to Sunny cheekily.

"Why didn't you say anything to us earlier?!"

"That's simple," Drebin replied, grinning. "You didn't ask for any refreshments, so I didn't think to supply you with any."

"You...you CAD! We've been running underneath that dry sun, and you didn't think to spare anything?!"

"I have a third idiot on my hands," Josh groaned, rolling his eyes. "You save our lives, but don't even think to quench our thirst? What kind of sense does that make?"

The battle continued between Josh, Drebin and Chris. As they verbally battled against one another, Sheva got off her seat with a sigh. She made a quick exit, then returned with three cans of ice cold Narc Cola. "We should down it all before they even think to get any," she suggested, smiling at the elder Emmerich.

Hal returned her smile, happy to catch a glimmer of Heaven from her eyes.

* * *

This was composed to 'Paper' of the Above and Beyond album, volume six. This was also written to Interstate's 'Found U' and 'One Day' by Nubreed and Luke Chable.

As you probably noticed, there aren't any author notes at the beginning due to one thing: excitement. I can hardly think of what I want to put here! Oh. To remind you, Josh's nickname came from Gene Starwind of the Outlaw Star anime! I believe that's all for now, so I want you all to keep your eyes peeled for the next Frequency chapter! Stay tuned, dear ones!


	6. Chapter 6

Memories were intricate and dank, dwelling inside of the Diablo Mines. The spirit of bygone days burned as darkness thrived, only allowing a few immortal torches to spread their light. The concepts of day and night weren't applied to the endless ocean of secrets, giving the phantoms of darkness immeasurable power. Those within the mine felt detached from the mortal world, diving deeper and deeper into the unknown. The alteration in altitude was enough to disorient them, as they experienced a drastic drop in temperature. Ancient memories were accompanied by bloodchilling winds and sodden ground. As visitors absorbed the cryptic aura of the mines, they inhaled the strangely tight air of the environment. Moving into a new dimension rattled their sense of reality.

Their trip to the Diablo Mines had been silent, following Josh Stone's and Chris Redfield's assault on Narc Cola. The perpetually annoyed Stone, who hadn't taken a shine to any form of stupidity, dozed off after five refreshing cans. Little Grey slept in the BSAA operative's lap, happy to have made another friend in such a short time. None of the others could sleep, though, due to massive amounts of adrenaline. Despite the weariness of their bodies, none of them were comfortable with the idea of sleeping. Sheva and Sunny were far too hopeful to sleep, awaiting the future as children awaited Christmas Day. The two of them had dreamy smiles about their faces, while Chris simply kept his eyes closed. Head bowed and arms folded, the Redfield appeared to be sleeping-but was actually lost in reflection. Hal, hard at work on the Mark II's features, threw glances at Chris whenever he felt it was safe. With each glance, the adoration of a small sibling grew within his eyes. The otaku considered himself to be a gangly, unimpressive member of society, but put the Redfield underneath a spotlight. He hadn't been able to express the depth of his heart yet, but that didn't stop him from admiring the silent hero.

Ever vigiliant, Drebin performed two additional favors for the squadron. His supply of 'Heaven' (as he called it) was opened to the small team, and he endowed Hal with a pair of handguns. Josh was the first to pack as many cans as he could, followed by Sunny and Sheva. Without surprising any of his friends, Chris was hesitant to subtract cans from Drebin's supply. He would've preferred taking the ice over Drebin's cola, and even stated a preferance to dehydration. The entire group was instantly against his stance, but the launderer's gentle prodding pressed him to take a few cans. As the others were, Drebin was immensely fond of the Redfield-and was willing to give up the entire Narc supply for him.

_"Go ahead. Take as much as you need. I don't mind. I enjoy protecting my customers. Without them, I wouldn't have a business to attend to."_

The weapons launderer pretended to care only for his profits, but the others could see right through him. It was as if he spoke on his business in the costume of a skeleton. With a hyper-active Hal Emmerich in tow, Chris gave Drebin the warmest appreciation. The two of them exchanged merry words, and in mere seconds, Drebin earned his first (human) friend. Four others soon followed, and the missing Snake was due to become the sixth. After promising to befriend the absent war hero, the launderer vowed to look after those that need to remain behind. Hal urged Sunny to withdraw from the front lines, uncertain if the child would be able to take to the mines easily. Excited about her father taking a stand, Sunny happily dropped out of the action. She wished her father the best of luck, invigorated by the sight of his new firearms. In the past, Hal would've been perfectly comfortable sitting behind a laptop. Recent events pushed her father into action, taking him out the 'adorable otaku' shell and into the state of 'awesome action man'. What an amazing father he was! She couldn't have been happier to have him in her life.

Josh volunteered to remain with Sunny, worried about a possible outbreak of Deus victims. If Drebin was attacked by an enraged mob, there wouldn't be any defense for Hal's daughter! The fanatic of Narc Cola volunteered to use every gun in his arsenal, but the Stone was turned off to his cockiness. Surely the tank's interior would need more than a cola-guzzling man and his chimp for protection! Chris and the others understood Josh's distress, and accepted his decision without complaint. Both teams would stay in touch with each other, and would evidently reunite once an investigation came to an end.

The zephyrs of silence followed Chris and his squad into the mines. Only the sound of rushing waters met their eyes, filling their souls with much-needed serenity. A lantern lit their way as they moved about, always on the lookout for potentially fatal disturbances. The atmosphere wasn't strained between them, but it carried a great bank of emotions. Sheva and Hal walked alongside Chris, listening to him as he hummed love ballads. Both were gravely concerned about the melancholy Redfield, but they rapturously noticed an improvement in his mental condition. His mind was still on his lost lover, wandering helplessly through songs he had lulled Snake to sleep with. Nausea, dizziness and tears were absent, which led the Alomar and Emmerich to a conclusion. Chris was trying to use Snake as fuel, instead of a poisonous substance. His body was using the love it carried for strength, pulling from a raw, eternal well. His mortal shell was exhausted, but the light of love's true promise held up a light. Josh's lecture about having faith echoed inside of his mind, shoveling even more fire underneath his cauldron.

_"He feels that his lover will forever remain in Albert Wesker's company! It's as if all of their memories, all of their days and nights, have come down to nothing! All of the time they spent together has gone completely down the drain! I do believe the Redfield has gone insane, because love cannot be eradicated so easily-and I'm not speaking on Wesker's brand of love! I'm speaking on the true kind! The true, unbelievably beautiful breed of love! No one, mortal or deity, can erase something so pure and vivacious! And I cannot believe his lack of faith in Snake. I'm surrounded by idiots!"_

'Starwind' had been right to scold him, reprimanding him for his lack of hope. Love couldn't be wiped out by someone like Wesker, no matter how powerful the bastard was!

* * *

Strangely relaxed, Hal led his companions with their solitary lantern. Sunny volunteered to send Chibi into the clammy, cold depth of the mine, but Chibi's reception would've been terrible. The lantern was the group's only guide, surpassing even the PDA devices within their pockets. The otaku was proud to hold, proud to hold his guns, and proud to hold a certain pair close to his heart. He broke silence after a few ages, presenting a delicate question with tender affection. He asked it with a sad smile, wanting to learn more about the one he saw as a brother-but afraid of damaging the Redfield's heart.

"Dingo, were you close to her?"

"Who?" Chris asked with a smile. The sadness within Hal's smile elevated, transforming him into a gentle lamb.

"Your partner. Jill. Were the two of you close?"

Momentarily confused, Chris believed he hadn't shared that particular story with Hal. A morning conversation soon resurfaced in his mind, bestowing a grievous smile upon his face. Emerging from a horrid night with Snake, he and Hal tied themselves closer together. The Redfield shared his weighty story of Jill with the Emmerich, revealing his guilt towards the loss of Jill-and Snake's enslavement to Wesker. As he put it, the Redfield carried a curse of the blackest kind. "Yeah," he began sadly, eyes raw from pain. Hal's smile fell once pain elevated in Chris's eyes. The otaku exchanged a sad glance with an equally agonized Sheva, then clamped his hands over his heart. Chris dove into his response as a true storyteller, completely immersed in the memories he had to share.

"Loved her like a sister. We did a lot together, in and outside of missions. We went through Hell together. She had a nickname for me, too. Always called me Bison."

He stopped in his tracks, face fallen and heart broken. Hal wanted to impale himself for inquiring after Jill, regardless of his desire to learn more about Chris. Sheva took the Emmerich's hand and squeezed it, comforting and loving. She opened her mouth to provide Chris with solace, but the Redfield took her baton. "We knew each other like the backs of our own hands," he went on, bringing tears to Hal's eyes. "I knew her, and she knew me. She was always watching over me, wondering if I was all right. Always worried about me. It's as if she believed her purpose in life...was to protect me. At any cost."

Hal shook his head, putting forth a gentle scowl. "I don't believe she's gone," the otaku declared firmly, as if he wished to defend his life's greatest discovery. At those words, Chris turned to him-and gave him a tearful, poignant smile. That smile strengthened Hal's nourishment of hope. As hope rose higher, it carried the volume of his voice.

"Sunny was right! Josh was too! You can't lose faith! She's out there, waiting for you to find her!"

"Don't you think she'd want to witness the remainder of your life, standing by your side?" the Alomar asked softly, throwing Hal one of her bewitching smiles. Meanwhile, Hal fumed with his newfound resolve. He was very much like a scholar, having just discovered the lost city of Atlantis. "I bet she found a way to protect herself, just so she could see you again. I know she's out there too, and don't even think of letting Epyon go. I don't believe Wesker has enough power to snuff out your love life."

Chris's smile faltered, but it remained ever warm. "I'll have to see if Wesker snuffed out anything," the Redfield declared sadly, lowering his head. "I'd like to join you guys in your parade of optimism, but Wesker's one powerful son of a bitch. And don't tell me you've forgotten about that kiss."

Remembering the kiss Wesker forced Snake into, Hal and Sheva exchanged a subterranean frown. Chris truly wished to bask in their hope, but found himself unable to jump in their pool. At least some change had been made. Prior to Josh's lecture, he would have thrown away his rope to faith all together. "Everyone I touch ends up broken," the Redfield growled, staring venomously at his hands. His next words were delivered with vicious scorn, as though he wished to attack a nation of criminals. "First my sister, then Jill, and now Snake. I just hope the two of you don't end up suffering because of me."

"If I end up 'suffering', it'll be by my own will," Sheva said firmly, placing a hand on Chris's shoulder. Into his eyes went a steadfast smile, coming straight from the Alomar's heart. "I choose to follow you, Chris. Hal chooses to follow you. The two of us are going to remain by your side, whether you like it or not. The Devil himself won't be able to tear us away from you!"

Hal's radiant smile echoed her words. Immersed in warm silence, Chris smiled with love's immortal song. His smile dimmed a little at the presentation of his next question, but warmth remained intact. "What do I tell Campbell?" he asked the Emmerich, sounding like a child that had accidentally broken his mother's heirloom. Hal winced as if he had been stung, but chuckled out of affection. Chris had promised Roy Campbell that he'd look after his old friend, but Wesker's latest achievement dampened the Redfield's enthusiasm towards another meeting. He could've told Chris to say 'everything's as peachy as punch', but there was a problem. Asking Chris to lie wouldn't have been any different from asking Sunny to marry Liquid.

"We'll explain everything to him calmly. And stop giving me that face. He won't blame you for any of this!"

The three of them continued down their path in silence, only speaking through the connection of their hearts. Melodious waterfalls wrapped their hearts in restoration, creating an environment that was almost heavenly. Once Hal tinkered with an odd device, though, serenity plunged into the overpowering pool of revelations. Endlessly inquisitive, the Emmerich pressed a crescent moon-shaped switch, igniting an outburst of flame. The awe-struck trio watched as flames lit up another path-and another world. Homes and monuments were brought into vibrant light, no longer inhabited but eternally radiant. Without even realizing it, Hal activated a sun dial-and restored an ancient civilization. Sheva and Chris exchanged a broad smile as Hal fell into euphoria, exploding as a child would on Santa's lap.

"Oh my goodness! Are you two seeing this?!"

"Yeah, we're seeing it," the Alomar and Redfield replied simultaneously, bearing the same nonchalant smile. The otaku looked as if he'd explode at any given moment, excitement and rapture overflowing.

"This is incredible! It's as if we've discovered a new planet! It's as if we've uncovered the lost city of Atlantis or something!"

Grabbing the hyper-active Hal's arm, Chris turned to Sheva for information. "Did you know all of this was here?"

She instantly presented him with a frown, looking as if he had asked her to recite the alphabet. "If I did, I would've mentioned it," she replied, pretending to be offended. "What do you think I am, dim? Or simply careless?"

"I think you're one hell of a friend," the Redfield said cheekily, while Hal pummeled on the keyboard of his netbook. The Alomar threw Chris a roguish glare, muttering the words 'oh, that cheater' under her breath. Hal presented them with information a moment later, allowing them to share a warm smile in ephemeral silence. "We're in the city of Ndaya," he began, drinking from the chalice of childlike glee. It wouldn't have been surprising to heal him squeal from delight.

"History has labeled Ndaya as 'The City of Blood'! Scholars say that tribes carried the concept of immortality close to their hearts! Most members of tribes celebrated the concept of the afterlife, even at the cost of their mortal existence! They thought nothing of their mortal lives, and even shunned the days they spent on Earth. In their eyes, the members of the tribe weren't meant to be humans! They were meant to be more-much more!"

"Reminds me of a certain someone," Chris said darkly. Sheva, in the form of an anguished puppy, gazed into her partner's eyes. "Perhaps Wesker wishes to revive this place," the Alomar said gently, stepping carefully on delicate grounds. "Perhaps he'll use this place to celebrate his glowing list of accomplishments."

"And aren't the Deus victims awaiting the rise of their Messiah?" Hal asked, lifting his glasses off the bridge of his nose. He kept his eyes glued to his small device, earning smiles of admiration from the others. "I do believe they are," the lithe Alomar said, stepping closer to the Emmerich. "What are you getting at?"

"Well, the citizens of Ndaya didn't worship kings or queens. They held a 'Messiah' in the highest regard."

"What about blood sacrifices?" the Redfield asked instantly, knocking off Sheva's latest triumph. The Alomar stuck her tongue out at him, then smiled at her latest claim to fame. Hal, meanwhile, gave Chris a smile of tender sadness. He knew Chris had returned to one of Snake's nightmares-his last known nightmare, to be exact.

"The subjects of the Messiah drank their ruler's blood, believing they'd earn some of the Messiah's power. Sometimes, the Messiah poured the blood of his chosen mate into the rivers-and the subjects drank from it. That was their way of celebrating newfound powers-and a new lease on life."

"So that's it, then," Sheva put in, nodding. "Wesker wants to revive Ndaya, and will force Snake to stand as his mate. What's more, Snake's blood is supposed to give birth to 'the chosen ones'!"

"Yeah," the otaku said grimly, no longer typing in requests to the netbook. "Snake's blood is supposed to replace the viruses running around. Those unable to adapt will quickly be deemed 'traitorous', and extinguished from the face of the Earth. All in accordance to Ndaya tradition."

Hand of his forehead, Chris wrestled between two unborn questions. While one concerned an aspect of Snake's nightmare, the other concerned the task at hand. Since the mere thought of Snake infused him with nausea, he chose the alternative question. "What about the operation Irving told us about?" he asked, suddenly assaulted by a wave of dizziness. "I don't see any Tricell equipment down here. What kind of operation was he talking about?"

"Not all operations have to be conducted with technology," Hal said kindly, eyes twinkling with love. "Perhaps Irving's comrades were searching for something. Something to assist the future army of 'chosen ones'. They could've been searching for information on the Ndaya tribe, just to get a glimpse of how their 'operations' were done. Or-"

"Or maybe they were conducting experiments," Sheva cut in, her voice a lethal blade. "Just look around. There's a vast wealth of ancient substances here. There are probably treasures we don't even know of! Perhaps they were searching for some sort of substance to assist Wesker!"

"Bravo, Miss Alomar! Bravo! You struck the nail right on the head, as they say!"

Three sets of eyes instantly turned to a tall, svelte maiden. Their intruder had turned a few corners to greet them, coming off the seemingly vacant streets of Ndaya. On her face was the smile of a malicious cat, glowing with an unparalleled hunger for mice. Chris unsheathed his handgun in a flash, but was taken aback when Hal and Sheva stepped out in front of him. Acting as shields, the Alomar and Emmerich aimed their own firearms at the intrusive feline. "Explain yourself," the otaku demanded fearlessly, hands steady. Sheva gave him a swift yet deep smile.

"Are you the one named Excella?!"

"Of course I am, darling," the ethereal maiden said, voice bearing a seductive poison. Taking several steps forward, she drove her smile deep into the hearts of her mice. The cries of anguished, blood-thirsty souls rose behind her, coming from the streets that were now populated. Horrified, Sheva sent her eyes on a quick scan of the environment. Deus victims seemed to be pouring out of the walls, and Excella Gionne had summoned them!

Meanwhile, Chris focused on Liquid Ocelot's partner. Aiming his gun right at her head, he spoke in a quiet yet unmistakably fatal tone. "What do you know about Snake?!" he barked, eyes consumed by the darkest wrath. His hands shook as he gazed upon the devilish vixen.

"Tell me! Tell me everything you know, Excella!"

Torn between Excella and oncoming Deus hordes, Sheva was momentarily lost. Once several Deus victims expressed their wish to attach Hal, she chose to send her ammunition into the ravenous beasts. Without the slightest bit of fear, Hal followed her straight into the fray. Mind echoing the sight of an immortal friend, the otaku fired away at demons that threatened to cut down Sheva. Bullets flew fast and heavy from his first handgun, meeting their targets. The Alomar threw him a divine smile at the sight of a headshot-Hal's very first one.

While the Emmerich and Alomar fought off snarling devils, Chris kept himself glued to Excella. Hal threw his head back to Sheva, asking for more ammo-Sheva tossed off a sneaky Deus beast, shouting about her fulfillment of Hal's request-aerial beasts hovered over them, shrieking with a lust for blood-

"I do believe your lover is on his way out," Excella purred sweetly, running a hand alongside her porcelain neck. "Why, my precious Albert has already consumed him. That old monkey's system has been infused with so much of Wesker's blood, it'll be impossible for you to remedy the situation!"

Releasing a blood-curdling howl, Chris fired rounds at the one and only Excella Gionne. Sheva sent a punch into a devil's face, keeping him away from Hal as he reloaded both of his guns-

"Don't be so cross with me, 'Chris'! That filthy, broken-down donkey was unfit for anything but the garbage heap! My dear Albert's doing him a favor! He's giving your wretched Snake life!"

Dropping his handgun, the roaring Redfield leapt out at the beaming Excella. Both went into a headlock-

Hal felt a hundred hands dragging him down-

_**"HAL! HOLD ON, HAL! I'M COMING!"**_

**_"DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME! KEEP YOUR EYES ON CHRIS!"_**

"Soon you will see! You will ALL see! Your beloved Snake will lose his soul to Wesker's hands! He'll be nothing more than a broken doll when Wesker's finished!"

A weeping, snarling Chris attempted to grab a laughing Excella by the throat-

A screaming Sheva fired off machine gun rounds-

and Hal rose to his feet, still holding onto his gun. Sheva was firing away-Chris was doubled up in pain-Excella was laughing-

"I tasted him! I ran my tongue over his flesh and it stank! I can't believe my Wesker wants to play with something so ugly! I drove myself into him and I regret doing so, because his dick wasn't worth my time!"

_**"HAL! HAL, GET DOWN!"**_

Chris bashed his fist into Excella's fist-

Sheva continued to pull her trigger-

**_"GET AWAY FROM MY GUY, YOU SON OF A BITCH!"_**

Hal fired. The last thing he saw was the glistening aura of a blade. A burst of white light threw him into unconsciousness, detaching him from what he loved-and what he'd worry about in slumber.

* * *

This was composed to the song I have dubbed Chris's theme: Decyfer Down's 'Fading'. XD TATU s Not Gonna Get Us is a phenomenal anthem for Chris's team. XD

Hal's netbook was inspired by Sailor Mercury's all-powerful hand-held computer, which was able to analyze pretty much everything. I thought of having him use his PDA or the Mark II, but the first option wouldn't have been able to gain reception inside of a mine-and the latter would've been too much of a burden to carry. By analyzing the nearby architecture of Ndaya, Hal was able to decipher their newfound surroundings. Speaking of the legendary Sailor Moon series, Chris Redfield will be the Sailor Moon character of the team. In other words, Sheva and the others will protect him with their lives. They love him to death!

Names hold great importance in this adventure. Nicknames are terms of powerful affection! Sunny gave nicknames to all of her friends, and I had Jill give Chris the nickname 'Bison'. Bison befits Chris, as the animal is one of mammoth size. XD

Another point. XD I know RE5 speaks of its own ancient tribe, but I decided to create another tribe for fun.

I think that's it for now. Stay tuned for more Frequency! As I plan the upcoming chapters, I will snuggle with Chris Redfield. He has to be, right next to Old Snake, the most adorable character I ve ever met. His RE5 voice actor does a flawless job at bringing him to life, and he s got an adorable personality. I just want to hug him to death! But here's the thing. I've been playing RE5 with my baby sister, and in the beginning, I cried when Chris was near death. Ever since then, my sis has been Chris-and she enjoys making him cry out for help when he's dying! It makes me sad every time! Boo!

Keep your eyes peeled for more incredible action! Thanks for joining this amazing adventure!


	7. Chapter 7

His eyes fluttered open, drawing him into a dirt-ridden world. Pain was a dull throb inside of his skull, bothering him as he quickly studied his surroundings. BSAA operatives were sleeping, huddled together in sleeping bags. The sun was high in the air, but the force had been through a long night. Two hearts were more than willing to heal weary bodies, though. A bonfire was working nearby, and the scent of indeterminable broth was drifting through the air. Sunny and Sheva were cooking breakfast. They were always on breakfast duty, happy to provide food for the forces-happy to provide for their loved ones-

"Hal? Hal! It's about time! Thought you'd never wake up!"

Relief flooded through with nauseating power. Ecstasy swept through his system like a drug, knocking the wind out of him-and installing an ocean inside of his eyes. No more than a few inches away sat an old friend, so close and so familiar-so warm, so close to the Emmerich's heart-wearing his OctoCamo, wearing his bandana-

"Snake! Snaaake!"

"Yeah yeah yeah. Don't start with me, Hal."

He threw his arms around the older male, rattled by brutal waves of nausea. Rapture was quickly rising, bringing his body closer to his breaking point. He knew his fragile, malnourished frame would break if any more joy crept into him, but happiness was a never-ending waterfall. His friend, his oldest and dearest friend, was in his arms, looking as if nothing had happened, as if nothing had taken place-

"I don't know what's up with you, Sleeping Beauty, but it's breakfast time. Sheva's at it again with Sunny. It's a miracle how they're able to cook anything up out here."

"Snake...S-S-Snake...you're...y-y-you're here...you're all right..."

Curious, compassionate blue eyes looked down on him. Hands wiped away rivers of tears, unable to figure out their origin but wishing they'd come to an end. The most beautiful voice Hal had ever heard fell into his ears, raspy and warm and heavenly-

"Of course I'm here! Where else would I be?"

There it was-the depth of their friendship. It was crystal clear, staring at him in the face. Snake was right there with him, worried yet perfectly happy. He wasn't angry with him any more. Their last conversation had been wiped off the face of the Earth. Snake knew he could trust him. The whole situation with Chris's PTSD had just been a massive understanding, a horrible eruption of confusion-

"Hal, what's going on? Don't tell me you had a nightmare!"

"I did. I d-d-did...and y-y-you were in it. You were g-g-gone, and...Wesker...I thought-oh God, Snake..."

Smiling but clearly bothered by his pain, Snake drew him closer. Holding him with the devotion of a mother bird, the old war hero ran a hand through his friend's almond locks. "Calm down, Hal," he said soothingly, his irreplacable voice calming his soul. "I'm all right. Everything's fine. That bastard Wesker couldn't tear me away from you if he tried! In case you've forgotten, I'm stuck with you for life!"

"Oh God...Snake...S-S-Snake, I'm so sorry...so damn sorry..."

The frown on the old legend's face softened. "About what?" he asked, increasingly uncomfortable with his friend's tears. Hearing the otaku sob was akin to watching a baby die by fire. And Hal rarely used any kind of obscenity.

"That n-n-night...everything. Shouldn't have...shouldn't have kept it a secret. Y-y-you had a r-r-right to know. Oh God, I'm so sorry..."

The valiant soldier appeared to be irritated by the weeping, but was only polishing his gruff, adorable attributes. He was truly worried, highly uneasy with Hal's pain-

"Don't worry about it! Everything's fine, Hal! I understand why you hid Chris's secret from me! You were only trying to help, and I can't fault you for wanting to help out! I haven't forgotten how you helped Naomi out, and she hurt you in the worst ways possible! You're nothing but a sap, but you're my sap and everything's fine!"

Sunlight was fading. The scent of broth was ebbing away, fleeing from the scent of moist soil. Hands grabbed him by the shoulders-someone began to call out his name, evidently worried about him-sunshine continued to leave him-

* * *

"Hal? Hal, open your eyes! Please!"

He opened his eyes and was instantly greeted by a migraine. The nervous face of Sheva Alomar, Narc Cola machines and computer panels hit the Refresh button on his psyche. He had never left his nightmare. He was inside of Drebin's tank, laying alongside Sheva-living, breathing without Snake-

He wasn't there. There wasn't any bonfire, there wasn't any sunshine, and there wasn't any Snake. Snake wasn't holding him, wasn't smiling, wasn't comforting him. He wasn't anywhere near him. Wesker and Gionne had him, while Liquid was out and about, cruising the grounds for potential audiences. The three of them were going to rule their 'new world' together, with Snake's body to fuel their plans. Wesker had ravaged Snake in the most painful ways imaginable, Excella had taken her turn at defiling him, and-

He wasn't there. It had all been a dream, just a dream. Nothing more, nothing less.

A soft groan rolled out of his chest. He placed a hand against his forehead, unable to fight off a thick wave of biliousness. Fireworks went off inside of his skull, shrieking as they pierced the liquified walls of his inner fortress. Little imps grabbed, pulled and stabbed his insides, giving birth to inner bleeding. The devilish creatures ran inside of his arms, his eyes, his nose, his legs-

A tiny hand tugged on his sleeve, pleading for relief. He blinked furiously, wanting to regain his vision for the hand's identification. The hand belonged to none other than Sunny, a small maiden that was suffering from tremendous fear. Into his eyes she peered, begging for her father to speak and wanting her father to be rid of pain. The sorrow on her face pushed him to tears. She was aware of everything that had happened-everything that occured while he slept, dreaming of a happy Snake-

There were five faces in all. He gathered the silent, saddened Sunny into his arms, able to recognize her face but unable to decipher the others. One blurry face definitely belonged to Sheva, but the other faces were a little harder to make out. He heard the frantic shrieks of a chimp, who was obviously running about in a fearful tirade. Who was his third comrade? Where did the monkey come from? And what happened to Ch-

"Where are we?" he asked, unable to believe his voice actually belonged to him. It was strange, distant and downright weird. It was akin to a bubbling substance inside of a pot. The gentle Alomar, none too happy with anything, placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Her voice was hoarse and weary, raw from grief.

"Back in Drebin's tank. It took a lot of effort, but we were able to get back safely. You weren't an easy bundle to carry, though-and you can imagine how difficult it was to carry Chris out of the mines."

The name of his absent friend struck him like a brick. His insides, already riddled with immeasurable pain, experienced a violent jolt. "Where is he?" he asked, speaking as if his head had been slammed into a steel wall. Sunny wrapped her arms around his neck, killing his urge to vomit. Sheva looked as if she had just witnessed the death of a nation, and had no desire to acknowledge her grim reality. "Outside," she said breathlessly, struggling to hold back tears. Allowing a single drop of rain to pass would've been a fatal mistake, in her book. Breaking down around any of her friends would've been unacceptable.

"He's...he's with the others. He wasn't hurt badly, thank goodness, but...he's..."

The next words on her plate were shoved down the drain. She had the look of a disconsolate mother, watching her child die before her very eyes. Ripping the heart out of her own chest would've saved her a lot of pain. It was an option she considered for a moment, agonizing over the pain she had to endure. Any other human would've died from holding so much sadness.

Hal gazed at her, aching for the ability to comfort her. He wished-no, needed to speak to her, to heal her, but couldn't. Bile was boiling inside of his throat, ready to erupt as a viciously hot geyser. Breathing was painfully difficult-almost impossible. If he said another word, he'd surely release an ocean of vomit. The concept of talking was so painful to comprehend, it had to be labeled 'illegal'. His skull was aching, his chest was aching...Sunny was in his lap, gravely worried...

"I'm glad they were able to reach you in time," a familiar voice said, always calm. Some monkey continued to squeak, still running about in a heated frenzy. Hal was able to put a few pieces of the puzzle together. The monkey belonged to the one that had just spoken! Drebin had just spoken to him! That was right! Sheva did say they had returned to the tank! But who was Drebin talking about? Was Chris outside with someone other than Josh? Was he all right? And what happened to Excella?

"You got off lucky, sharp shooter. The new additions to your little band were more than helpful."

"You lost consciousness," Sheva put in immediately, answerning Hal's next question. Although exhausted beyond human comprehension, she was able to give the Emmerich a small smile. "Your first battle, a severe lack of food and Excella's appearance dealt you a serious slap. Your excitement level bypassed your body's limits, Mr. Emmerich."

The otaku clamped a hand over his mouth, hunched over and eyes shut. It took him a moment to recover from his latest surge of nausea, but he quickly regained the ability to form sentences. "Who came to our aid?" he asked frantically, voice regaining a bit of its old radiance. His speech was no longer slurred, and he didn't speak as if he had been struck by a diesel truck. Drebin approached him as he spoke, on a desperate pursuit for information.

"What happened? Who was the owner of that blade? Where did they come from?"

"Whoa whoa whoa," the weapons launderer said, waving his hands. Hal noticed a glimmer of affection in Drebin's eyes, and instantly knew why the brilliant love had been born. The two of them spoke at length during Meryl Silverburgh-Sasaki's wedding, focusing on the Patriots and newfound peace. Snake was visiting a cemetery, speaking to Big Boss-as he found out after the reception. His old friend, fresh off his duel with Liquid, was worn out but optimistic, ready to see a new world.

He was on the verge of seeing another world emerge, but it wouldn't be to his liking.

"Slow down there, cowboy," Drebin said serenely, flashing his golden rings. "From what I've heard, your new Musketeers succeeded in annoying Miss Excella. The babe turned tail and ran, no longer able to deal with her new threats."

Hands clamped on the sides of his face, Hal found himself asking questions at a high volume. Quite odd, considering his insufferable migraine. Perhaps he was trying to speak over it.

"Who was responsible for rescuing us? Who were they?"

"One Musketeer's outside with Mr. Redfield," another familiar voice explained, heavy with sadness. The voice belonged to the one and only Josh Stone, who had reverted back to a formality out of immense respect. He was certainly nearby, but Hal couldn't pinpoint his exact location. He must've been nearby, though, for Sheva was gazing in his direction. The Alomar had the face of a crushed child, looking to a parent for relief.

"The other, I believe, you know very well. He claims to be a strong friend of yours. He also knows your little girl."

At the mention of her existence, Sunny lifted her head from her father's chest. She spent only a second searching for the Musketeer, then her face adopted the glow of a Christmas tree. Out of Hal's arms she flew, propelled out of her beloved guardian's arms by unbridled glee. Sheva, Josh and Drebin watched as the maiden embraced the currently unidentified liberator, face ablaze with happiness.

"Raiden! Daddy, look! It's Raiden! Raiden's here!"

Hal spent several seconds blinking, staring at Raiden with a blank face. The agile warrior, holding onto a glowing Sunny, gazed back at him with eternal tranquility. He had the aura of an apathetic, calm emperor, but possessed unparalleled benevolence. He wore his ninja's armor from previous battles, but no longer suffered from the absence of confidence. His life, following the downfall of the Patriots, returned to the train tracks of stability. With the birth of a new world came the peace of his soul, and peace poured unbreakable valor into his blood. He had returned to the throne of a ninja-a throne he would forever inhabit alone. He wished for no heir, though, preferring the absence of battle over the continuation of chaos.

Gazing at him, the otaku didn't know whether to scream in disbelief or weep. Sunny must've contacted Roy some time ago, and Roy obviously contacted Raiden. The young, intrepid warrior instantly agreed to the Campbell's wishes, vowing to save the friend he loved-vowing to save the friend they both loved. He had gone through Hell alongside Snake, protecting him on more than one occassion. He had fought tooth and nail to keep Snake safe, and probably would've kept him out of Wesker's hands-

With Sunny buried in his arms, Raiden smiled at the Emmerich. Sheva exchanged smiles with Drebin and Josh, relaxed by the ninja's calm aura. He had the ability to soothe hearts within a fifty-mile radius, exuding the quiet strength of a king. "Hello, Hal," he said softly, his voice a wondrously beautiful melody to Hal's ears. "Or is it still Otacon?"

"It's only 'Otacon' out on the field," Hal said breathlessly, dangerously close to his breaking point. He still didn't know how to react, but breaking out in sobs seemed to be the best option. "What do you prefer-Jack or Raiden?"

The reply was delivered in the blink of an eye. "Raiden, thanks," the ninja said huffily, a little bothered by the mention of his name. Hal smiled, understanding the foundation behind his reaction. Names were not only important to his little team. Raiden saw his birth name as a sacred hymn, one his family was allowed to use-and no one else. "I'm assuming you know how I came to be here."

"I'll thank Roy if we live through all of this," the otaku said, eyes shining with tears. "I'm really sorry about tearing you away from your family. I know you've just been reunited with your wife, and your son. I can't tell you how sorry I am, old friend."

The ninja placed Sunny in Sheva's arms, acknowledging the Alomar with an intricate, deep smile of simple love. Sheva, along with Drebin and Josh, listened as Raiden spoke with Hal, heart awaiting the future with bated breath. "I don't need an apology," the young legend said sternly, shaking his head. "My wife and child are cheering for me, even as we speak. Snake is their greatest concern. And if anyone's required to give an apology, it's me."

Hal didn't like the look on his friend's face. "Why? Did something happen?"

"Yes, it did. I was able to locate Snake, but...he was torn out of my grasp."

Four hearts came to an instant, violent stop. Hal, Sunny, Sheva and Josh exchanged wide-eyed glances with each other, perilously sick to their stomachs. The blood within their faces soared right down the drain, transforming them into horrified ghosts. Seeing the group's facial expressions, Raiden became uncomfortable with the words he had to present. It was as if he had been shoved underneath a spotlight, after being whisked off the street. "I found him inside of a laboratory," he went on, slowly treading over his words. "The lab is in the custody of Albert Wesker-whom I believe to be a spawn of the Devil's seed. That wicked creature's conducting a wide range of experiments-with Snake's body. I found myself surrounded by victims of horrific experiments, all of them torn apart by the greatest pain imaginable."

"Alongside Jill Valentine, I dove deep into Wesker's chambers. So many people of this nation were ensnared by that demon, led into a vile deathtrap. Snake, I'm sad to say, is in a condition I can't properly describe with words."

Hearing about Chris's long-lost partner was shocking-to say the least. Raiden's take on Snake added to the weight of reality, killing all glimmers of hope. "He looked as if Death had visited him a hundred times," he went on, head bowed and heart heavy. His words, coupled with his tone, pushed Hal into gentle sobs. Snake had been smiling just a few moments ago, telling the otaku everything was all right-

"His body has been corrupted, poisoned by the darkest evil," Raiden went on, close to tears but fuming with fury. "An average human would already be dead from such agony. No mortal would be able to live with the body he's in, but he's suffering-suffering from a fate worse than death. He's dying, crying out for help, and...my attempt to rescue him fell apart. Forgive me, Hal, for failing to save an old friend."

Chris knew. He had to know. He was outside, with Jill no doubt, probably crying his eyes out...dying on the inside...

Hal fumbled about in silence, completely frozen. Sheva took the opportunity to speak, her voice gentle yet raw with pain. "What of Jill?" she asked the ninja curiously. "How were you able to find her? Chris has been searching for her for quite some time now!"

"To make a long story short, I discovered her in turmoil. She was once under Wesker's control, but discarded once he came across Snake. She was his first toy. I'm glad I had the fortune of discovering her. Otherwise, she most likely would've succumbed to death."

The heart-wrenching, mournful cries of a dying wolf split into the air. Hal and his company exchanged anxious glances, then bolted outside. In a flash they found their Chris Redfield, sobbing while wrapped in a maiden's loving arms. The maiden was undoubtedly his Jill, a beautiful nymph that possessed dusty blonde locks. Unfortunately, the color of her hair was a result of her enslavement to Wesker-as was the pallor of her face. The depth of her affection for Chris was vibrant, pulsating as she held his muscular frame close. Never again would she release the friend she loved so dearly, and he was unwilling to let go of her. Her existence was enough to break his fragile soul, for her return installed a painful amount of euphoria into his bloodstream. Happiness had to co-exist with sorrow, though. The latest updates on Snake broke his heart, giving birth to grievous cries. He cried as though his heart had been literally ripped out of his chest, and his soul had been torn to shreds. Hell had broken him, leaving him without an inch of strength.

Leon had given him a fair warning. The Kennedy, during their short time together, declared his refusal to pursue love-and warned him of love's dangers. The revered officer, being the only one to stand against the Redfield's astounding record, nonchalantly dismissed love as a 'child's game'. Falling in love would endanger his work, Leon said, and he had no time to compromise anything.

Chris, like an idiot, shrugged off everything Leon said. And Leon had every right to say 'I told you so'. If the Kennedy had been assigned to Africa with him, he wouldn't have heard the end of it. 'I told you so, you should've listened to me, love's a complete waste of time-'

No one knew what was worse: listening to Hal or Chris sob. The two Emmerichs, Sheva, Josh and Drebin approached the Redfield as if they were stepping around land mines. Sheva released an agitated Sunny, then clamped her hands over her mouth. Hal's little maiden scampered towards Chris and Jill, hands outstretched for an embrace. A tearful Jill gave her a motherly smile, while the Redfield swept her into his bulky arms. He held her close, as though he'd die without her. In return she placed her hands on his tear-stained face, wiping at his tears. "What do you think now?" he growled through tears, speaking to his original company. The eternally vigilant Jill exchanged a sorrowful glance with Raiden, rueful over her ability to free Snake from Wesker's arms. Raiden reflected her guilt flawlessly.

"What do you think now, huh? Think I'll still have a happy ending?"

A grief-stricken Sheva stepped closer. "Dingo-"

_**"I WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG! I WAS RIGHT! I'M NOT GETTING HIM BACK, DAMMIT! HE'S GONE, AND THERE'S NOT A DAMN THING I CAN DO! HE'S GONE! HE'S GOOOOOONE!"**_

Cries, raw and unbidden, sprang from his throat. Tears rushed from his eyes as his chest rumbled, quivering under pain's tremendous pressure. Rain overwhelmed Hal, Sheva, Sunny and Jill as his heart continued to shatter, drowning under vast heartache.

Jill was the only one to form words. Chris plunged deeper into sobs, having the words 'please don't cry' drift into his ears. Minutes passed before Valentine and Redfield were sobbing together, tied together by tears of the heart. Sheva, hands still over her mouth, closed her eyes. Drebin stood in the doorway of his tank, observing the group as though they were invigorating television shows. Josh and Hal held Sheva close, both of them shedding tears. Raiden stood alongside Hal, silent yet tormented by overwhelming sadness. Although he had on his ninja's mask, one could clearly see the face of an inconsolable toddler. And Sunny?

Sunny withdrew herself from Chris's arms. Wiping tears from her eyes, she bounded back into Drebin's tank-bypassing the tank's owner with unwavering determination. Unwittingly earning a smile from the launderer, she sought Chibi and brought it out into the open. The little robot was soon opened, and its owner was at the helm, prepared to put on some sort of show. She quickly earned Hal's curiosity and Raiden's admiration, setting herself to work on Chibi's control panel. Jill caught a glimpse of her actions and sent a smile, intrigued by the little girl's project. She caught Chris's attention by tugging on his sleeve, directing him to the point of interest with a nod.

With the determination of an aspiring archaeologist, Sunny pursued something. Her face lit up once her pursuit was complete. Chibi turned from her to face Chris and Jill, its monitor showing recorded images of...

Chris's jaw dropped.

_"Ever since you came into my life, my world has been one hell of a place. Every damn day has been a joy for me, because you've been at my side. I breathe just to see your smile. I've seen nothing but stars and sunshine, looking into your eyes. I want you to know that I've fallen madly in love with you, Snake, and there's something I need to ask you."_

_"Yeah?"_

_"May I kiss you?"_

Sunny had recorded Chris and Snake's first kiss. That had been a starlit kiss, taking place underneath diamond skies. Snake was a blushing, giddy puppy in Chris's arms, Chris was the stalwart knight, and the night was perfect. Stars littered the calm night sky, Snake was an adorable portrait of shyness...everything was warm, perfectly warm, and...

Beautiful. Just downright beautiful.

The Redfield wiped at his eyes. He had launched himself into regret, believing Leon Scott Kennedy had been right. Believing himself to be on a wild goose chase, chasing after a dream he'd never be able to catch. He believed he had lost his one and only love, along with all chances at happiness. He had almost called himself 'stupid' for falling so madly in love, and would have labeled himself an idiot if it hadn't been for Sunny. If the little girl hadn't taken the time to remind him of love's divine beauty, he would have thrown all dreams away. And the maiden was gazing at him, pleading with him, begging him to give love one more chance-begging him to give her Epyon one more chance. She had the face an endangered puppy, one that was about to be abandoned by her family-and placed on the euthanasia list.

He missed him. He missed the raspy, beautiful voice that had stolen his heart. He missed the cute, babyish eyes that had captivated him on many occassions. He missed the pouting sessions, the grunts, the bandana and the blushing-

He missed it all. And if Sunny hadn't stepped in, he would have lost it all. He would have surrendered it all to Wesker, and his filthy partners.

Into the faces of his comrades he gazed, cherishing every last one. The last face his heart fell into belonged to Jill, who had the song of Heaven's kisses upon her face. Into his face she smiled, always close and forever loving. Sunny's face went from a frown and into a broad, warm and hopeful smile, her heart silently providing Chris with limitless gratitude. Smiling, Hal breathed a sigh of relief. He and Sheva shared a smile, eyes glistening with tears of profound love. Josh breathed a sigh of relief, but was irritated by the endless bouts of turmoil.

"The insanity never ends. Can't we ever get a break? I'm exhausted!"

"You can stop fighting once you're dead," Chris said playfully, smiling through an ocean of tears. He gathered the radiant Jill into his arms, receiving a kiss on the cheek from the Valentine. "But remember, you said you're sticking with me until the end! There's no way out for you, Starwind!"

While Sunny contemplated Jill's nickname, Drebin popped open a can of Heaven. "We're in for a loooong ride," he said merrily, looking down on his little companion. "Hope we're gonna have enough of this stuff for the party."

* * *

This was composed to 'Selisona Pi' of ES Posthumus, 'Nara' of ES Posthumus and Chris's special theme: Decyfer Down's 'Fading'.

I adore Jill. XD She's beautiful! My sister and I just met up with her in RE5. The reunion she had with Chris was heartfelt and emotional. XD Their friendship just kicks solid butt. XD

The 'first kiss' between Chris and Snake was inspired by the film 50 First Dates, starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. Drew's character can't retain short term memories, and so Adam's character-her loving boyfriend-replays video tapes to refresh her memory. Writing the resurgence of Chris's first kiss, I thought of Drew's line: nothing beats a first kiss!

This adventure is kicking into high gear! I can't get any better than this. Seriously. I adore the RE5 characters-Chris being my strongest favorite. He'll be the Sailor Moon of the pack, lovingly protected by all friends. And as you know, I can't get enough of the MGS cast. This is the first time I've ever had Sunny actively involved in an adventure! XD Drebin's also making his first strong appearance in my work!

Stay tuned for more hot stuff, dear audience! Thanks for tuning in!


	8. Chapter 8

Chris and his Musketeers were taking a much-needed break.

At first, the Redfield was against the idea of relaxation. Sitting still while Snake was in danger perturbed him. Romeo wouldn't have sat still if Juliet was in harm's way, and Don Quixote wouldn't have loitered if his princess was in danger, so what gave him the right to stand about? Wesker and his partners weren't going to wait around for him!

Hal and the others sympathized with him. If they had been in his position, they wouldn't have been able to sit still either. Their bonds to Snake turned the concept of relaxing into a crime punishable by death, but their bodies wouldn't permit strenous activity. In their current states, picking up a rock wouldn't have been any different from eating a poisoned dagger. The encounter with Excella, accompanied by the intensity of their latest battle, took quite a toll on their mortal frames. Chris probably would've given his limbs for a deity's invincibility, but no one could ignore the need for relaxation. Their bodies would have fallen to bits if any more Deus victims emerged.

Drebin had transported them to a somewhat friendly area. The land offered surprisingly green, crisp scenery, seemingly untouched by the hands of corruption. The air was calm, devoid of the humidity the group had once known. It was moist but cool, providing their bodies with refreshing breezes. It was as if a rainstorm had taken place, leaving behind wondrous, fragrant mist in its wake. Evening was making its descent over their world, blanketing everything with soft blue tranquility. Chris and his makeshift family knew the serenity was deceptive, for violent chaos was erupting in parts unknown. However, the ephemeral peace was appreciated. The band was determined to refuel their bodies, even with black clouds hovering above their heads. Sunny quickly found fuel in the form of Paopu fruit, and happily shared her discovery with the others. Chris inhaled seven pieces, then politely asked if he could have more.

Hal and Jill managed to soothe the restless Chris, who had become 'Prince Dingo' in a matter of seconds. In hardly any time at all, the Redfield was conversing merrily with beloved friends. His reunion with Jill, although short, had been enough for the both of them-and now they were reminiscing on days gone by, sharing memories of their partnership. Raiden listened to them with fatherly affection, studying the unfathomable depth of their friendship. It was odd, almost distateful, to say they were merely 'friends'. They didn't bear a romantic connection, but they weren't mere 'partners'. Their bond transcended time itself, walking by human vocabularly without a care in the world. Their body language spoke of inestimable fidelity. Jill was aflutter around the Redfield, bubbling with affection as she drank his every word. In their eyes, sharing a simple smile was akin to sharing a thousand vows. Surely Jill would spill her trauma to the Redfield later. At that moment, they were content with exchanging light-hearted stories.

A coronation took place in mere seconds. Sunny happily unearthed the perfect nickname for Chris's old partner, and cried it out as soon as it struck her. Shyly, Hal explained his daughter's nickname system to the willowy blonde. Whenever she became fond of someone, she knighted them with the name of an anime or video game character. Raiden, as he already had a suitable nickname, was exempt from that rule. Sunny decided to call the Valentine 'Rinoa', in honor of a Final Fantasy VII heroine. That particular heroine was revered in the video game universe, adored because of her resplendent attributes. Hal engraved the nickname in his mind with great embarrassment, moved by his daughter's monument to Jill. He was quite familiar with Rinoa Heartilly, and felt close to her throughout his Final Fantasy VII journey. The nickname suited Jill perfectly, for she was just as effervescent as the Heartilly. Her time with Wesker had tired her out, and even altered her skin's pallor, but Wesker hadn't managed to decimate her resonant beauty.

Hal, having recovered from an outbreak of sadness (and the adrenaline of his first battle), was equally radiant around the muscular Chris Redfield. Devoid of back-breaking sorrow, he found himself able to revive his battle clearly and enthusiastically. Jill, Sunny and Sheva listened intently as he described his first foray into fire, sharing his recent memories with the passion of an excited infant. He had the remarkable characteristics of a child's storyteller, able to pronounce words with adorable crispness-and able to bring details to screaming, vibrant life. Jill inquired after his lessons on gun-toting, and that's when the memories of Snake were brought to the surface. He imagined shooting himself for reviving thoughts of his oldest friend, but a second passed before a startling discovery was born. It was amazingly easy to speak on his dearest friend-even fun. The days and nights with Snake came to wild, colorful and childlike life, glowing with the warmest happiness. Speaking about his friend provided him with the strength he needed, and surely would need for upcoming battles.

Chris experienced similiar joy in speaking about Snake. He found it was surprisingly easy to speak about him, when he expected himself to break down at the mere thought of him. He had a little trouble getting out of the gate at first, but once a few minutes elapsed, telling the others about his lover was a blast. He experienced the same adrenaline he felt when he had to defend his relationship. He too would have made quite the storyteller, pouring out tales as if he had been transformed into a water faucet. Sheva listened to him with the affectionate pride of a mother, beaming as he brought bygone days to life through hand gestures.

The Alomar became close to Drebin in mere minutes, amused by his eternally cool composure. Both of them had a seductive, bewitching nature about them, and great minds shared similiar characteristics. While she spoke with the launderer on the topic of childhood, Josh and Sunny amused themselves with Little Grey. The two of them continued to play with Drebin's first friend, even as Sheva dove into a particularly deep conversation with Hal. Remembering his mention of a 'corrupt organization', she gently inquired after the nature of his first job. Moved by her wish to learn about him, he shyly gave desired information. In return, she shared the nature of her first jobs with him-and although they weren't joyous experiences, she was more than happy to share an old life with the Emmerich. Once her tale came to an end, Hal expressed deepest sympathy. The way she lived as a child broke his heart, moving him to tears.

She walked up to him, cupped his face, and gave him a comforting kiss on the nose. Intrigued by the sensations flowing through her body, and enchanted by the explosion of shyness on Hal's face, she drew him into a soft kiss. Without another word, she skipped off with a cat-like smile-leaving a blushing, overwhelmed otaku behind with Drebin. Her smile vanished a moment later, replaced by a frown. Running fingers through her damp hair, she realized she still needed a ribbon. Having her hair out just wouldn't do! Not in the field of battle!

An hour passed before conversations grew grim. Emotional, heavy thoughts on the absent Snake were shared, as though all of them had entered 'Show and Tell'. Chris and the others were surprised to hear how much Drebin missed 'the old ball of flame' (and Chris glared at him for using the word 'old'), but when Raiden approached the bench, tears flew hard. It had been bad enough to hear Chris speak on Snake, but the ninja had an elegant way of speaking-and his manner of speech moved everyone to tears. Raiden spoke with the grace of an old sovereign, possessing a vocabularly once believed to be extinct. Sheva desperately wanted to snipe him, just to end the horrid pain inside of her heart. As the others concluded, though, his words were enough to fuel the remainder of their journey. With newfound resolution, the entire team braced themselves for a high speed encounter. The party re-entered Drebin's tank, immersed in the cement of brutal anxiety. Raiden and 'Rinoa' fulfilled their duties as guides, leading their friends closer to the pit of Hell. Stomachs were painfully cold and empty as the night went on, equally cold and eternal. An unborn storm brewed beneath mortail soil, installing apprehension into the veins of many. Sunny, although anxious, purposefully evaded her father's arms to sit in Josh's lap. Unaware of the little maiden's decision, Sheva took the otaku's hand shortly afterwards. Hal shyly took the Alomar into his arms, face bearing fear and the greatest devotion.

Sunny saw the two of them and smiled.

With the exception of Drebin, who had to keep his eyes on the road, no one could take their eyes off Chris. The Redfield had returned to his trademark state of meditation-head bowed, arms folded and eyes closed. Speaking to him would've been like stabbing a hornet's nest. In other words, he was not to be disturbed. Of course he'd never lash out against his loved ones, but the officer required time to think. Surely he was thinking of ways to end Wesker's life. Precious memories of soft kisses were also being reborn, walking alongside Wesker's hideous face in translucent, woeful beauty. Sheva, as she always did in times of darkness, watched over him as a worried mother. Jill observed him with the sad eyes of a Chihuahua, willing to sacrifice her life-again-to erase the danger he was in.

As all eyes focused on Chris, poison settled into stomachs. With every bump in the road, all of them felt as if they skipped two steps on a staircase. Raiden and Jill were directing them to Wesker's elite laboratory, where they would not only meet up with Wesker, but his cronies as well. The possibility of seeing Snake was equally strong. Nervousness attacked each of their stomachs ferociously, eating away at them as a ravenous canine. The mere thought of Snake, in the condition Raiden relayed, stomped on their hearts viciously. Engaging his tormentors in combat was an equally unsettling thought. All of them felt as though they had taken a ride to another dimension, and were about to encounter a trial from a fairy tale. Sunny, clutching her tiny hands to her heart, likened their experience to the experience of the Pevensie children. There was one striking difference between their tale and hers, though. The land of Narnia wasn't as hostile as the African jungle they were plunging into.

Apprehension loomed over all of them with a whip. Not wanting to disturb their master, none of them issued a single word. Hal held onto Sheva's hands with fierce determination, silent yet valorous. Jill and Josh held impenetrable vigils over Chris, who looked fit to burst. It was taking all of his willpower to restrain his arsenal. They were edging closer to their destination, and he had so much firepower--!

Thirty minutes passed at a painful speed. Drebin's tank came to a stop, and his 'customers' exchanged adrenaline-infused glances. Hal urged Sunny to remain behind, due to the danger that stood before them. His little daughter, although dismayed at her inability to fight, accepted his wishes without complaint. She provided tearful encouragement to her band of heroes, then immersed herself in Little Grey's antics. Sheva urged Josh to remain with the small maiden and Drebin, receiving no complaint on her end. Jill received the next order to withdraw, but it was quickly tossed aside. Chris, of course, issued the order, but she dismissed it with undying fervor. There was no way she'd remain behind, especially since Wesker was responsible for the pain she endured! And he was torturing someone else? There was no way in Heaven or Hell she'd stay out of the fight!

_"If you think I'm going to miss the chance to kill that freak, you're sorely mistaken. Besides, I'm not leaving your side ever again, Bison. I lived without you once. I'd rather not do it again."_

As Chris reloaded his guns, and Drebin gave ammunition to Sheva, Hal found himself checking his new handguns. Adrenaline was shooting through him at lightning speed. In the shoes of an anxious, restless child, he ensured the loads of his guns. His insides were quaking, but love overrode fear. Unwavering devotion towards an old hero drove him out of the tank. Raiden, secretly anxious, placed himself at the head of the band. He drew Sunny into a warm, loving embrace prior to departure, promising the safe return of her family-which included 'Epyon'. Sunny scolded him for excluding himself, then Josh urged them to return alive.

_"You'd better make sure you come back! I won't forgive any of you if you break this little girl's heart!"_

Sunny's heart wasn't the only one in danger. Josh was just as translucent as Drebin.

* * *

Slow, cautious footsteps fell inside of Hell's black pit. Five stalwart knights dove deeper into an inhospitable blizzard, chilled by winds from unseen demons. Tightly gripped guns were at the ready, aiming at potential disturbances. Moist locks of hair were trapped against foreheads and cheeks. Hearts were enraged madmen, screaming against their chains. Feet met with cold steel floors, staining an already venomous silence. Raiden and Jill were side by side, silent as they led their friends. Chris was only a centimeter behind Raiden, gun ready to fire at Wesker's forehead. Sheva had the look of a vigiliant eagle, Hal understood how Akiba had felt during his many battles, and-

Hot, long days had boiled down to that time and place. Restless, endless hours had brought them all to their current stage. There wouldn't be any more searching for Snake, Wesker, Liquid or Excella. There wouldn't be any more encounters with Deus victims, especially since Wesker had thrown them all into a dark sleep. They were no longer needed, having served their purpose quite some time ago. The time had come for a new race, a new way of life, a new world order-

"Chris?"

All of the present Musketeers stopped. Sheva, Jill, Raiden and Chris turned to face Hal, who had spoken out of immense discomfort. The otaku was boiling with some sort of confession, looking as if he'd burst into sobs at any moment. The pressure of the upcoming encounter had pressed him to his breaking point, forcing him to reveal something he would have preferred to give at a more peaceful time. There were words he wished to give the others, but his words to the Redfield had boiled underneath his flesh for quite a long while. While the others exchanged worried glances, Chris gave Hal a soothing smile.

"What's up? Need to go back to headquarters?"

Hal smiled, already feeling better in the Redfield's presence. Chris would've let him return to the tank without a second thought! It wouldn't have been a big deal. Hal returning to 'headquarters' would have been akin to him running simple errands. It wouldn't have been a problem to lose a teammate, and Hal was approaching only his second battle. "Not really," the otaku said shyly, hands wringing at one another. He gave a forlorn look to Sheva, who provided him abundant inspiration with a wink.

"There's...well, there's something I'd like to say. Something I've been meaning to say...for a long time now."

"It's all you," Jill said fondly, releasing her friend's bulky arm. Chris gave her a smile that was far too warm for words, then sheathed his gun. He looked back at Hal in soft confusion, wondering where the otaku's words were coming from. "Give me everything you've got," the Redfield encouraged his friend, sounding as if he merely wished to order ice cream sundaes. Jill's eyes spoke the words 'Hal's cute' to Sheva, who replied with unspoken agreement.

"Well...I...I just wanted to say...thank you."

He fumbled with his hands. "Th-th-thank you...for b-b-being my friend. You've b-b-been such an inspiration to me, Ch-Ch-Chris. You're...you're everything I wish I could be."

Frowning, the Redfield opened his mouth to oppose Hal's words. Hal lifted his head, gathering enough courage to beat Chris to the finish line. "I'll be forever grateful for our first meeting," he went on, tossing off his stutter. "because it led me to this point. It brought me here. You have become such a tremendous part of my life, and...I really...I really don't know how to thank you. You're a friend to my daughter, and...you love someone that never believed he'd fall in love. You love someone that believed he wasn't worthy of anyone. You endangered your BSAA position to love someone much older than you. You've changed his life in such a wonderful way, and...I...thank you...for not giving up on him. Thank you, Chris...for being such an amazing brother."

The Emmerich bowed his head, eyes swamped with tears. Expecting a hatchet to relieve him of his head, he shut his eyes and allowed his rain to fall. The eyes of the Musketeers focused on him, all filled with concern. Mammoth hands soon clamped down on Hal's shoulders, accompanied by the warmest eyes Hal had ever encountered. They belonged to Chris Redfield, who had been touched by his words. Raw, unbidden appreciation soared through his eyes, as if he hadn't received a single compliment his entire life. "Thanks for being with me," he said, squeezing the otaku's shoulders. He retained his calm composure, but truly looked as if he wished to weep over Hal's words.

Inwardly, the otaku grinned. He prepared himself to ask a question, and he already knew he'd enjoy the answer.

"Why did you fall in love with him?"

"Because he's beautiful," Chris said instantly, speaking as if his words should've been obvious. Hal's inner grin burst forth onto his face. The Redfield turned away, acting as if Hal had just asked him to say his own name. The faces of the other Musketeers were aglow with happiness, shining as a result of the recent word exchange. "Keep your eyes peeled, everyone," he ordered, eyes narrowing in the manner of an owl's. Sheva nudged Jill in the ribs and snickered, noticing his disgust towards Hal's question. As if he needed to explain why he loved Snake. Everything was one hundred percent obvious!

"We don't know what-or who-we'll return into down here. Hopefully we'll run into Snake."

"I'm sorry, dear guests, but the only one you'll be running into is his brother!"

Gasps emerged from the steadfast band. Sheva, Jill and Hal instinctively placed themselves in front of Chris, who had become a raging ball of fire. With all muscles tensed, and breaths coming at a fast pace, the bison scanned the newborn surroundings. The voice had summoned an outburst of light, brightening elements that were once concealed in enigmatic darkness. Cases of virus victims created a backdrop for the combatants, and Liquid Ocelot was responsible for the stage's creation.

Balling his hands into fists, Hal snarled at Snake's remaining sibling. Wesker's partner-in-crime had evidently done a great deal, grinning as if he had already conquered the universe. "You," the otaku cried out, pointing. "You horrible beast! What do you think you're doing, playing around with Wesker?!"

Chris threw a glance of astonishment at the Emmerich, then returned his eyes to Liquid. Both Sheva and Hal had their handguns aimed at his forehead, gazes unwavering. Jill and Raiden had placed themselves at Chris's side, weapons at the ready. Liquid was clothed in his dusty brown overcoat and glasses, but their was something different about him. Snake's sibling hadn't changed a bit, in regards to personality, but a physical change had taken place. Perhaps there was something about his eyes?

Liquid's elegant voice echoed throughout the halls, icier than the moon. "You've got the nerve to scold me, Emmerich? When all I'm trying to do is bring in a glorious new world?"

"I'm sick and tired of hearing about this 'new world'," the Valentine roared, face exuding a million storms of hatred. Her hands trembled as she focused her gun barrel on Liquid, determined to kill him at any cost. "Listen to me! What you're contributing to is sick! You're working with a heartless beast at your brother's expense!"

"Don't tell me all of those people were infused with Snake's blood," Hal shouted, trembling from a fusion of hatred and grief. The otaku was referring to the cases of lifeless bodies, all drowning in unbreakable woe. "If they were, you're an even bigger demon than I made you out to be!"

Like a slice of melted butter, a smile spread across Liquid Ocelot's face. Innocence provided it with ephemeral fire, then he lifted himself into mid-air. A new smile, one of malicious nature, replaced the seemingly pure one-as if a cat had transformed into a living, bloodthirsty beast. Chris and his partners released a collective gasp as Snake's brother rose high into the air, cackling at the top of his lungs. The airborne male's overcoat was spread out behind him, flowing as a banner in the turbulent winds. Thinking of an apex from a child's fairy tale, Sheva found herself falling into a look of despair.

_How I wish I could erase all of this!_

"Liquid," Chris roared, stepping forth. "Just what are you planning?! Have you been infused with your own brother's blood?!"

"No," came the vicious, euphoric response. His voice no longer belonged to a human, but a true demon. Despair and disbelief urged Sheva to lower her gun. Jill kept her eyes firmly on Chris, standing strong with the resolution of a canine. Hal, on his own end, scanned their surroundings with elevating fear. The cases of lost souls were exploding, and the ground beneath their feet trembled as if buffalo were storming through. Bright energy waves were being released from Liquid's body, which had adopted an eerie glow.

"I didn't take in that soiled wretch's blood! My dear Wesker bestowed a wondrous honor upon me, Redfield! I am now everything I wished I could be-everything I've ever wanted to be! No one, not even that filthy dungheap Snake, will take away my power!"

A flash of white light stole away vision. Using his arms to shield his eyes, Chris heard Hal cry out for Sheva. The Alomar was screaming-a thud struck his ears-glass shattered into a million shards, and-

The white light vanished. Once Chris saw what had been behind the curtain, his body tightened from immense shock. Tears struck his eyes as he stared at the airborne Ocelot, looking at what he had become. Evidently borrowing a leaf from Irving's book, Liquid had made the decision to play with Hellfire. He had tossed off his humanity in favor of a beastly form-one that cared only for blood and power, nothing more. Sadness banged against the Redfield's heart in the form of a hammer. "I am my true self," the newborn devil cried, arms raised heavenward. "I reign supreme! I can control time, space, and the lives of puny mortals! My brother can't even hold a candle to me, humans!"

_"CHRIS! CHRIIIS!"_

He felt himself rising into the air, cold hands clamped cruelly around his neck. They were tight, extremely tight-Liquid evidently wished to choke him, to suffocate him, and white light was spreading-the explosions hadn't come to an end-Jill was sobbing, crying out his name-Sheva was firing-

"That old roach is so frail, he can't even adjust to the new world's balance! The past is eating away at him, Chris! You won't be able to caress his shriveled nipples, or have his wrinkled dick shoved inside of you! By the time you reach him, he'll be in the Devil's arms-burning for Eternity!"

Overboiling with hatred, he tried to wrench off Liquid's hands. Liquid continued to laugh, eyes filled with blood rain. Sheva continued to fire-Hal struggled to keep his footing-

"I wish you had heard him, Chris! Screaming for help, even under Wesker's influence! Crying, sobbing, screaming your name! 'Chris, Chris!' 'Chris, where are you?!' 'Chris, Chris, Chris!' My brother's a broken record!"

Previously unattainable fire surged through the Redfield's veins. Sheva was crying out to Hal, Hal was crying out in fear-the ground's tremors had elevated-the cases were still exploding-

"Don't you worry, Chris! The two of you will be together soon! You'll be able to shack up with my brother once you're surrounded by the Devil's bedsheets!"

Liquid's hold loosened. His feet made harsh contact with the floor, but white light erased his vision. Sheva caught Hal before he fell into an open chasm, saving him from a sea of forever lost bodies. The Emmerich smiled at her, she smiled at him, and both felt as if they had shared their final smile. Grunting, Chris gripped his only available anchor-a hydrant. The Alomar and Emmerich exchanged a nod, then bolted to the Redfield's side. They instantly threw their arms about him-tears overwhelmed his eyes-

_Snake._

Raiden, who had observed the scene in silence, gripped his sword. His face was emotionless-his blade glistened with the ferocity of the sun-

Jill, Sheva and Hal shielded Chris from raging eruptions, and-

Two seconds later, the Redfield released a sharp gasp. Jill clasped her hands to her mouth, while Sheva looked as if a ghost had stolen her body.

Liquid fell to the ground in front of them, striking the ground with a sickening thud. The explosions came to a screeching halt, footsteps struck their ears, and-

Chris whirled around, body boiling with fury.

"Well done, Raiden. I tired of his cockiness. I'm so glad you were equally bored of him."

The Redfield balled his hands into viciously tight fists.

**"WESKER!"**

* * *

This was composed to Preliator and Duel of the Fates, an invigorating song from the Star Wars universe.

We're approaching the final steps of Frequency, so hold onto your hats! Thanks for joining me, and take a look at my profile for sneak peeks at upcoming blockbusters! Until next time!


	9. Chapter 9

Albert Wesker could have been torn from the pages of a storybook.

He was every bit the dashing, devilish figure, dressed in what appeared to be an elegant black robe. His role as a god was taken very seriously, evidenced by the sleek garments he had put on for the occasion. Not an inch of fear could be found in his eyes as he smiled at the Musketeers, eyes glistening with the deviousness of a feline. Confident in himself and his plan, he stood within his territory as a sovereign. The glares of the Redfield's friends could do nothing to sway him, for he stood on the threshold of eternity. He'd rule the mortal world, without anyone standing in his way! So one could easily say he had the aspirations of a storybook villian, but he was far worse than a child's nightmare. He was the world's darkest nightmare, not even keeping himself attached to his humanity. No. He had become a demon, forsaking his fellow mortals. "It is I, my beloved Redfield," he purred, stepping towards the livid Redfield. His feet, bearing glossy black boots, created echoes as he stepped forth. Meanwhile, Chris could hardly contain the anger raging within him. He felt as if he'd explode, and rightly so. The nightmare he loathed was only a few inches away!

"I have come to you once again, bearing the most wonderful news. I do believe we're on the eve of rebirth."

"Rebirth my ass," Jill shot out, using her body to shield Sheva and Hal. She aimed her Magnum at Wesker's forehead, eyes snarling. "Nothin' doin', buster! Your plans are about to crumble into ashes-right along with your putrid body!"

To Wesker, the Valentine's words were rather amusing. Wagging his finger in the fashion of a schoolteacher, he spoke with a nonchalant air. "My my my, dear heart," he said sweetly, unable to resist a grin. "You've got your spirit back. I daresay you've made quite the recovery."

Jill didn't waste a second in responding. "First of all, I'm tired of hearing your mouth, Wesker! And I don't give a rat's ass about myself! I'm back where I belong," she declared fiercely, referring to her place alongside the Redfield. Those words earned her an eternally warm smile-from none other than Chris. "So enough about me and your idiotic plans, dipshit! Where's Snake?!"

Wesker looked as if he wished to fall asleep. "Snake? Oh...wait a minute. You're referring to that-"

With a violent thud, the cold-blooded beast found himself pinned to the floor. The tiger known as Chris Redfield held him down, exerting every bit of strength to extract revenge. Hands clamped around the tyrant's neck, the BSAA operative spoke. "I'm tired of your bullshit, Wesker," he announced, tightening his grip with every syllable. "Wish I had the strength to pull your bloody heart out! Now tell us where he is!"

Although choking under Chris's power, Wesker managed to pull off a cat-like grin. "Where else? He's in-"

As soon as Wesker opened his mouth, Chris realized he had made a grave mistake. Asking Wesker to be straightforward was like asking a dog to sprout wings. The heartless master of mortality was so close to pulling off another crude remark against Snake. It wasn't difficult for the Redfield to fill in the blank. "Kill me and you'll get nothing out of me," Wesker cried breathlessly against Chris's onslaught of punches. Receiving a punch from Chris was akin to being slammed in the wall by a bison. Jill had aptly named him.

With a horrified audience in tow, Chris sent a shower of punches onto his opponent. Wesker's latest words hadn't made it into his ears, simply because his ears were blocked off by veils of hatred. Enshrouded in indescribable fury, the Redfield treated his enemy as though he had become a punching bag, determined to beat every last inch of life out of him. Wesker laughed all the while, evidently concocting some sort of scheme. No mortal could ever beat him so easily. not even the astounding, legendary Chris Redfield!

The fifteenth punch came. Sheva gasped in unison with Chris, who had his punch intercepted by Wesker's right hand. Before he could even blink, he felt a harsh kick from Wesker come into contact with his chin. Nauseating dizziness threw its hands about his neck, wrestling against him as Jill threw herself into the fray. Despite her drive to protect the Redfield, she was no different from a baby bluebird against Wesker-especially compared to Chris. "This is absolutely ridiculous, Chris," the deranged tiger growled, sending Jill away with a single punch to the head. Much to Chris's horror, she struck the wall with a cry-and fell into unconsciousness. A head wound poured a pool of blood, proving she had fallen into a strait of pain. And she had already been through so much--!

Events elapsed in flashes of lightning. Sheva, an enraged lioness of impeccable grace, threw herself at Wesker next. "Why don't you take me on yourself?" the beast asked merrily, parrying against the Alomar's kicks. While she was evidently far more agile than Jill, she didn't have too much of a chance either. Who did these humans believe they were? None of them were certainly worthy of Wesker's time!

"You and I could have a little dance, Chris, and then I'll show you my new world! You're going to love it!"

"Wait a minute," the Redfield said, taken aback by a certain set of words. Wesker tossed the Alomar aside, much to the horror of her remaining Musketeers. Treated no differently from a boring ragdoll, the tiger threw her into one of the chasms that had been made just a short while ago. The Emmerich went after her instantly, initiating desperate attempts to pull her out of the hole.

"What do you mean, 'my new world'? You've already taken out Liquid, but what happened to Excella?"

Completely free of interference, Wesker grinned at Chris with the mirth of a sadistic devil. "Why, she was nothing but a tool, my good man," he declared proudly, arms outstretched towards Heaven. "I became bored with her before I lost interest in Liquid. Luckily, your new friend Raiden decided to eradicate that little problem for me!"

The Redfield was at a loss for a second, but then he shook his head. He had to pry something out of Wesker, in regards to Snake. It was worth a shot! "What have you done with him, Wesker?! Tell me or I'll have you begging for death to come!"

"Where is he? Where is he? Why look around, Chris! He's all around you, deep within those beautiful little cases! He's within my blood, raging within my blood! I have him, and he has me! I too have been infused with his blood, so we'll never be apart! There's no way he could ever truly leave me! We are one, now and forever!"

Inwardly, the Redfield smiled. Excella might have been a loss he couldn't help, which was a sad story. Snake, however, was a completely different matter. Wesker, as always, was beating around the bush, but certain words nourished a glimmer of hope. The demented wretch spoke with the fury of an abandoned lover, arms waving against the stiff skies. He sounded like a lover that had abandoned all logic, just to hold onto hope that wasn't truly there. In other words, he was in a state of denial!

"So," the Redfield said cheekily, his Lieutenant Hawk aimed at Wesker's head. A broad smile spread across his face, as sunshine spread through a life-deprived world. "That's it, then. You've lost!"

Wesker looked as if Chris had abruptly launched into Italian. "What?!"

Hal succeeded in lifting Sheva onto stable ground. The two of them exchanged another smile, then ran to Jill's assistance. "You're done," Chris went on, face glowing at every syllable. "You're living in a dream world, Wesker! You never really had him! I was an idiot to think you could ever destroy what we shared! You might have put him through Hell, and I'll have to tear you apart for that, but he's still around-and you've lost!"

Practically foaming at the mouth from rage, Wesker lunged at Chris with a shriek of wrath. Chris initiated an evasive manuever-Hal, releasing a cry of 'NO!', lunged out for Wesker, and-

The otaku was soon caught in a web.

Back against the floor, a horrified Chris gazed at the sight before him. Hal was on top of Wesker, hands enclosed around those of his enemy. Without the slightest bit of fear, the Emmerich exerted all of his weight-which wasn't much-against the livid spawn of Hell. Both Sheva and Chris released cries of horror once Hal was lifted several feet into the air, raised by a pair of blood-red fists. "His death will only mark the beginning," Wesker declared rapturously, to no one in particular. "I'll snap this ant's neck like a twig, and a new age will arrive! I'll spread my newborn artwork throughout the world, and there won't be anyone to stop me!"

Shrill laughter scorched the frosty air, coming straight out of Wesker's heart. Hal wriggled against the wildly painful grip, Sheva fired off several magnum rounds at Wesker's head, Chris made a fierce lunge, hands aimed at his foe's throat, and-

Found himself pinned to the ground by Raiden.

"Wait a minute! What do you think you're-"

Seemingly devoid of emotion, the ninja placed a finger against the Redfield's lips. After what felt like a lengthy absence, it was surprising to see Raiden. It was equally surprising to have his assault on Wesker come to a quick end. But there was a reason for Raiden's interference. Someone had joined forces with the intrepid ninja, and it was none other than-

Chris and Sheva, completely frozen, gazed at the battle's newcomer. A fatherly Raiden smiled as the new combatant stood behind Wesker's back, injecting something deep into his neck. It appeared to be some type of serum. It must've been the beast's weakness, because Wesker was lashing out, swearing, vowing to kill the doll that had betrayed him--!

Hands soon relieved Hal of Death's wishes. Panting, the otaku fell out of Wesker's grip-and landed in a happy Sheva's arms. The Alomar exchanged a deep, sunny smile with Chris, who could have flown to the moon on his happiness. Raiden continued to shield the bulky Redfield with his body, gazing upon his ally with an indeterminable amount of love. Meanwhile, Wesker wasn't anywhere near a state of happiness. He was actually far from it, wriggling against the one that had him in a death grip. Sheva, unable to measure her own happiness, couldn't resist a snicker. "He looks like a spasmodic rat," she said to her bundle, eyes twinkling. Still recovering from his tormentor's brutal grip, Hal could only nod-eyes filled with tears.

Two minutes elapsed. Still encased in a strait of spasms, Wesker fell to the floor with a violent thud. Eyes completely immersed in white, he was now a shadow of his former self. All traces of god-like power had ebbed out of him, and life was following close behind. His body lost every inch of its color, leaving him with a ghost's deathly pallor. No words crept out of his mouth as he wrestled against spasms, twisting and twitching in the manner of a dying insect. Meanwhile, the warmest smiles were passed around an invincible table. Chris, Raiden, Sheva and Hal gave tearful smiles to one they had missed dearly, and would forever love with every fiber of their being.

Solid "Old" Snake smiled back, holding a syringe.

* * *

This was composed to the lovely Mirror's Edge Menu anthem. XD

We've arrived at the end of this amazing adventure! Thanks for joining me! The epilogue's right around the corner, so stay tuned! (rushes off to do more brainstorming for Fringe)

As for Fringe, the lady Zephyr knows all about the revamped summary. It'll be issued shortly after the end of this amazing, emotional tale. And here's a hint on what's to come, dear lady: _Cruciatus on Chris._ That's the last hint you're getting on anything, and if you're not familiar with Harry Potter books, you're fresh out of luck!


	10. Chapter 10

I shan't interrupt the flow of Frequency's epilogue, so I'll speak here! Once again, I thank you for reading this wondrously fun adventure! I hope it provided you with thrills, chills and tears for a lifetime!

Stay tuned for Fringe, another 2009 epic. Hot on its heels will be Alchemy of Siren, a Leon Scott Kennedy/Chris Redfield fic that will be similiar to Fringe-but will shelter elements MUCH darker. Torture at the hands of Wesker, indescribable humiliation, intricate love...so many possibilities for both await, its frightening!

This will be composed to Sanctuary-After the Battle (Kingdom Hearts II soundtrack).

* * *

Shoving his clothes into a suitcase made him realize how much time had flown.

Three months had elapsed since the fall of Albert Wesker's empire. The devastated nation of Africa, forever fated to rest in its own ethereal state, began its recovery period quickly. Its remaining people happily welcomed the new age of peace, working together to form a bright future. Houses were built from humble materials, cemented on a foundation of pride. Children and elders alike worked to prepare equally modest meals, gathering ingredients from a newborn Earth. Animals, having concealed themselves from the nation's devastation, emerged in luminous spurts of energy.

The BSAA Africa branches threw their efforts into the restoration pot. Their forces had been decimated by collisions with Wesker's forces, but the remaining operatives sheltered the undying spirit of their organization-and of their fallen comrades. Holding memories of their departed friends close, they worked with the general public to restore a nation's radiance. Sheva Alomar, hailed as Africa's princess, workend alongside Josh Stone to rejuvenate her people. She was a divine icon in the eyes of her spiritual kin, which she found amusing-but she vowed to honor her title forever.

Sheva's bizarre band of companions offered to help with Africa's rebirth, but all offers were quickly denied. Her people didn't see fit to enlist a bunch of ravaged, exhausted souls-especially since one in particular had gone through Hell a million times over. No one in their right mind would have asked the legend to perform any task, unless it had something to do with a spa or a bed. He pressed on for a bit, wanting nothing more than to help the gentle nation, but every last person shut down his offers. His lover, who was now a bit of a celebrity to the African people, had his offers turned away in a flash. He had achieved the status of a noble, and nobles weren't usually permitted to lift a finger. The pale, malnourished Jill Valentine would have had better luck getting into an anthole, and a mousy otaku didn't have much luck either. Josh, bypassing all emotional statements, urged his friends to return 'home'-a place they surely missed. He said nothing upon their return to Drebin's tank, aside from remarks on their tardiness. Raiden and Drebin, the only two absent from futile restoration efforts, listened as Josh denied all traces of worry. The two of them weren't known for their warm smiles, but they shared a smile that put the sun to shame.

While her friends dove into a short recovery period, Sheva instantly set about the restoration of her world. Already in tearful tatters over a recent reunion, Hal broke at the thought of leaving Africa. Leaving behind the beautiful, glorious nation would mean leaving behind Sheva, the first woman he could envision a future with. Happier than a child inside of Santa's workshop, and completely optimistic about the future, the Alomar assured him 'goodbye' wasn't in the cards. While it was impossible for her to leave her homeland behind, she promised to never stop loving him. He tried to speak but could only nod, submerged in his own tears. She listened to his heart-rending, lyrical sobs, adoring his pure nature. He tried to thank her for saving his life, but couldn't. She drew him into her arms, never wanting to let him go-and always wanting to hold the soft, sweet scent of love walking on water. She floated through clouds as she held him, running a hand through his tousled brown locks. Yes, it was true that they were an unlikely couple, but she loved him-and he loved her.

Ten soft, warm minutes passed before they stole each other's bodies, wrapped in the silvery sweat of euphoria.

Hal had made love only once in his life, but with Sheva, he felt as if he had never lost his virginity in the past. He had surrendered himself to her, experiencing the sweet, godly nectar of love for the very first time. He returned to the states with his family the morning after, but would never forget her promise-and felt as if he had married her, lost in the sweet kisses of her essence.

Raiden (known as Jack to his family) made a swift return home. Without giving his friends a chance to thank him, he left the party without a word. A certain friend of his, having expected such behavior, shrugged the disappearance off with a smile. The old legend knew he'd see his friend again, just as Hal would set eyes on Sheva again. Neither of them had really left the sides of their loved ones. They had merely gone into hiding, vigiliant as they watched their loved ones from afar. Hal would never leave Sheva's thoughts, and Raiden would always be out and about-eyes on a friend he loved and admired.

As for the old hero, his reactions to captivity were rather surprising. His lover and the others expected to see him suffer, and wouldn't have witnessed his pain with smiles. The pain he went through surely should have killed him! The mental pain alone should have been enough to take their precious Snake away! But did it? Oh no. His body suffered the aftermath of extensive trauma, but his mind was on one thing, and one thing only: life. He sometimes shivered from drastic temperature drops, and shuddered at blood-chilling sensations, but he only shed tears over the pain he caused. He was inconsolable over what he had put his lover through, sobbing with sorrow that seemed unbreakable. Hal feared he'd die from heartbreak. It took quite a bit of effort, but the old one's heart was healed-and two lovers were happily reunited. An antsy Chris was permitted into his hospital room, and didn't leave it for two hours. Snake sobbed and sobbed, Chris tearfully assured him everything was all right, and-

With only the interference of a hospital bed, Dingo and Epyon made love for the very first time.

Epyon was actually happy to have his lover's eyes on his body. Smiling as if he had just been reborn, he whispered phrases like 'touch me'-all of which led to some rather powerful, vocal eruptions.

As Chris held onto Snake, and Hal came into contact with Roy Campbell, Sunny held a vigil over Jill. She politely refused to enter the hospital's care, not wanting to cause any trouble-or take any attention away from Snake. After desperate orders from Hal and Chris, she allowed herself to be taken into the care of a team-and quickly fell into a deep sleep. She slept for days on end, but there was no cause for alarm. Her body was merely recovering, having suffered from starvation and intense abuse. Like Snake, she would only have to recover from physical side effects of trauma-and not the aftermath of a broken spirit. After all, who could focus on pain when there was so much love to go around?

* * *

So much had happened, in such a short amount of time. He sighed with a smile, reflecting on the memories he would forever cherish. More memories would surely follow, and all of them would glow with their own radiance. Good or bad, all of them would be immortal pillars of beauty. Destiny had a way of shaping mortals. The way wasn't exactly smooth, but it held great depth. It held resonant power, roaring with the power to move mountains. He would continue to be unfolded by destiny's unpredictable hands, and would welcome whatever challenges came his way.

After all, he had a bad-ass support system. He was ready to take on the world.

"Hey there! Are you ready yet?"

"Yeah, baby. I was just lost in thought for a minute."

"I've been lost in your eyes ever since we first met. I know what you're going through. I know what it's like to tune out the rest of the world, all in favor of your universe's center."

The universe was silent as two BSAA operatives-one rookie and the other legendary-lost themselves in a kiss. "You know what?" the young legend purred, lips brushing against his lover's with every word. "If this keeps up, we'll miss our flight."

"We aren't in any rush, now are we?" his husband asked coyly, stroking the underbelly of his chin. "After all, it's our honeymoon."

"Yeah, well...I'd rather get you to Paris as soon as possible. I want to pamper you like there's no tomorrow, and in our line of work, vacations aren't really secure. You've got to learn the ropes, novice."

"I'm sure you'll take the time to show me the ropes," the raspy-voice novice replied, hands stroking his husband's chest. "Can't wait to see them, either. I'll be learning from the master."

"Oh, I'll show you the ropes all right. And everything else in between."

Not another word was said for ten breathless minutes. The older male, pawing at his mate's chest, broke the silence with puppyish eyes. "Do you love me as I am?" he asked softly, gently, pleadingly. His soul mate was instantly horrified by the inquiry.

"Of course I do!"

"Then don't work so hard on it," the puppy whimpered, nuzzling against the other. "You don't have to find me a damn cure. You're happy with me like this, and I'm happy with you."

"To Hell I don't," the younger male replied in a huff, caressing his husband's back. "Listen, I'd make love to you even if you were two hundred years old. You're gorgeous, and that's not going to change because of age. I just want to find something to make you feel better."

"It's always about me, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is."

Heaven smiled as Chris and David Redfield walked out of their new home, en route to the nearest airport.


End file.
